Once again, Nick has pointed out some of the more important points of boat building that some of us often forget. Regardless of the finished weight, or the perfection of the varnish, or any other detail, the most beautiful boats are found on the water with the builder having a good paddle. Enthusiasm and a big smile are more important that the details.

: The Expedition Single on the cover of my book looks like crap. There are
: staple holes everywhere, gaps between the strips, divots in the wood, the
: fiberglass shows through the varnish, there are clouded spots and I am
: generally embarassed to be seen on the same beach with the boat.

: All I ever get is complements on how beautiful the boat looks. All I can
: think about is how much better I can do.

: No matter how hard you try, you will always be able to do better. If there is
: such a thing as a perfect boat and it takes you 1 month to get boat that
: is 50% perfect, it will take 2 months to get one that is 75% perfect, 4
: months for 88%, 8 months for 94%. You will never achieve perfection and
: only experience can speed up the task.

: Finish your boat, put it in the water and start paddling. The boat you have
: will turn out beautiful. If you want a better boat, build another one.
: Spending time trying to get the current boat better will only eat into the
: time you could spend paddling, or building your next boat. Be warned that
: your next boat will not be perfect and you will be compelled to try again.

: I have built kayaks since 1986 and have yet to build a boat I am completely
: happy with. Every single boat I have built has given me a lot of pleasure.