This subject has been visited a few times, and the general consensus is that both companies make good boats. I built a Tern, and it stitched together very nicely without any forcing, because the deck becomes pre-formed when it is stitched together. The CLC deck has to be bent into place, but is a bit faster to build because it requires no stitching. The scarf-vs-butt-joint issue has supporters on both sides.

I tried to weigh the pros and cons of each boat, and in the end it was aesthetics that made my decision. I liked the upturned bow and stern of the Tern, as well as Pygmy's hatch design. But the CLC's clear, uninterrupted, cambered deck looks nice, too.

Regardless of which boat you choose, there is a lot of experience and advice here on this bulletin board that will help you make it a nice one.

Dean

: I am a total woodworking rookie trying to choose between a Pygmy (Coho or
: Arctic Tern) and CLC (Patuxent or Chesapeake 17). Most concerned about
: ease of building. Is either kit better? Also concerned about finished
: product - is either company designing a better product?

: THANKS FOR THE HELP.