> I built an Actic Tern this year. Great boat -- easy to build. Butt joints
> are very easy and all the concerns about flat spots are unfounded. The
> joints are located in parts of hull with very little twist or bend. The
> joints look fine.

> Gluing the deck to the hull was also no problem -- it is essentially the
> same method that Nick uses in his Guillemot.

> My suggestion is for you to buy the boat that you are most enthralled with
> - its the one you will enjoy the most. Both designs are technically fine.
> Also, from what I've read you may want to consider the Coho.

> I also suggest buying the kit over the plans. I think the hardest part of
> the S&G boat is proper cutting of the panels. The computer cut panels that
> came with the kit are perfectly pre-cut. If you do build from plans I
> think the butt joints would be much easier to get accurate panel sizing
> with.

> Good luck. I am building a CLC Mill Creek 13 hull. I am putting 4oz glass on the inside and outside of the hull. The deck will not be tortured ply but will have the angled deck design of a Pygmy. Also, I plan to put 4oz glass on the inside and the outside of the deck. This negates the problems of strength and installation of the deck. CLC would have you leave in the bulkheads for reinforcement while Pygmy would have you use them as temporary bulkheads for alignment since you are using glass on both sides of every panel. I used butt joints like Pygmy promotes. Bye covering the inside and outside with glass, the butt joints have two layers of glass on each side. They will give plenty of strenth to the joints. I like the stability of the 29 inch beam because I plan to do a lot of fishing. I notice that most of the kayaks in the Old Town Kayak & Canoe catalog have 28" & 29" beams. Pygmy would have you use 6oz glass inside and out, however, back here in Kansas our banks are mostly mud not rock. Also, I am using 5mm Luan which I get for $10.88 a sheet at the local lumberyard. I believe a person should decide what works best for them.