Unfortunately, there is no simple answer to this question. Performance of a boat depends more on the design of the boat than the material it is made of. A dog of a boat in kevlar will still be a dog in fiberglass or strip-built. If a boat is good when built by roto-molding, it will be good as a stripper.

The only way the performance is effected is in the weight. Lighter boats will feel more lively, but the more gear you carry, the less effect this will have.

Roto molded boats don't tend to hold their shape well so no two rotomolded kayaks will perform exactly the same. There is some room for variation in construction with home-built boats, but following a good set of plans should minimize these variations.

I would like to say that strippers perform better than other construction methods, and the response I get to my boats suggest that they do, but I can see no reason why they would.

> I just spent a vacation in Maine and saw millions of corporate made kayaks
> - but not one kit. I had so hoped to be able to compare the performance of
> say, an Arctic Tern vs. a Nordkapp Jubilee. I know most of you kayakers
> out there are partial to the beauty of wooden boats, but as I saw a
> beautiful Nordakapp, I wondered how a well made strip and glue kit
> compares in terms of performance. Can somebody give me their honest
> assessment?I hate to think of spending a fair amount of money and time
> only to wish I had saved more money and bought a professionally made boat
> from one of the top companies. I love the idea, and know how proud I would
> be to build my own kayak - but I also would feel better knowing if it
> would be the performance equal of a top notch professionally made boat.
> Any feelings? Do any of you paddle both?