> I am a first time builder wondering which kit is the best one
> to go with? I want a good touring Kayak for the Central Coast of California.
> There appears to be 2 main brands for complete kits with similar prices,
> I am wondering if one is significantly better than the other?

You sound like you are looking at S&G kayaks.

This past winter I chose to build a strip kayak, using the NF Woodworks kit. , instead of a Pygmy S&G kit.

It seems to me that the advantages of a S&G kit are that (1) they are cheaper and (2) they go together much more quickly. If you are in a hurry, go with the S&G kit. But if you are really in a hurry, you can probably get a new rotomolded plastic sea kayak for about the price of even a S&G kit.

I chose a stripper because if I was going to build a boat I wanted a hull shape that was based on aesthetics and performance, and not limited by the constraints of making a flat panel into a curved shape.

I think an S&G kit is quicker to build, but I am not sure it is _easier_. Look at some of the posts on this BB, where at least one S&G builder said he had to realign the panels 6 times before getting it right.

Also, if you make a mistake with a S&G, it can be very hard to fix. Having precut panels in a kit probably limits the number of mistakes you can make, though.

I learned from experience that you can fix some pretty major mistakes in a strip built boat and still end up with a really beautiful result.

In the end, I was really happy I chose to build a strip built boat. The stripping process is very absorbing and satisfying. And in the end, you really feel that you _built_ the boat, rather than just assembled the parts.

Also, Nick was really helpful about providing support for his kit at every stage of the way.

Good luck, whatever you choose!