: Well with looking at many web sites and what seems to be thousands of pics i
: think that it would be in my best interest to do the stitch-and-glue model
: however where would be the best place to get a kit? can it be made into a
: tandem? how sturdy will it be ? please let me know what you think.

The two big names are Pygmy and Chesapeake Light Craft (CLC), and there are many more companies that sell designs and kits. Either of these companies can sell you a kit for a tandem. So can many other companies, for that matter.

If you do not buy a precut kit, then go for a set of full-size plans. You can lighly glue these on a sheet of plywood and just cut on the lines to make your parts. If that scares you off, or you want to save some time, JUST look for kits.

Chosing between CLC and Pygmy products can be a challenge. Both companies have VERY loyal followers, so I assume that they both produce good kits. If you are near the east coast, borrow or rent a pickup truck and take a couple of days to visit CLC. If you are in the northwest, go visit Pygmy. Either company should be able to put you in a boat like that which you want to build, and they should let you paddle it. If you take cash or a checkbook with you, you might even take your kit home the same day, and save a bundle on shipping costs. (that's why you were traveling in the pickup truck)

Some designers have deals with lumberyards in various places around the world. these lumberyards cut the parts and prepare the kits as specified in the plans. If your reading has turned up the name of a design or designer of stitch and glue boats, you should contact them by phone or e-mail to se if they have kits or know of someone who can help. For example, Newfound woodworks has this on their website:

We create boat kits based on canoe and kayak designs by:

Ted Moores of Bear Mt. Boat Shop and author of Canoecraft and Kayakcraft
Nick Schade of Guillemot Kayaks and author of The Strip Built Sea Kayak
John Winters of Burke's Falls, Ontario
Joe Greenley of Redfish Canoe and Kayak
Mac McCarthy of Feather Canoes
Rob Macks of Laughing Loon
Eric Schade of Shearwater Boats
Rob Bryan of Kennebec Designs
- - - - - - - - - - - - -- - -

Most of those designers create plans for building with cedar strips, but Eric Schade has designs that are stitch and glue, as well. Check this page on his website: www.shearwater-boats.com/doublekayaks.htm. It would be worth an e-mail to Newfound to get their printed kit catalog (the online verion is a bit skimpy) or give them a phone call. www.newfound.com is their webpage, and you can get more info there.

How sturdy are they? Sturdy enough for two paddlers and their gear. Most have weight limits of around 500 pounds, and can actually be overloaded so much more that they will sink rather than break apart. Native paddlers who were blissfully ignorant of such design terms as "displacement" and "design waterline" would hunt for animals that might weigh 500 to 700 pounds (and dsometimes more) -- and they would bring their game home on lighter weight boats than you are looking at. Now, if an elephant steps on your kayak it will crunch, so stay away from elephants. These boats are not THAT sturdy.

The nature of plywood is that you will hear it strain and tear long before it actually breaks. If you should hear damage, you can reinforce the thing to make it as strong as you wish. with enough layers of fiberglass and enough resin you can actually support an elephant, but the boat will be very heavy.

When the boat is in the water the stresses are supported over a very large surface area, and as a result, the designs are WAY stronger than you need. On land you have to be a bit careful with most canoes and kayaks.

hope this helps

PGJ

BTW this is supposed to be a stitch and glue 21 foot long expediton double. I got the picture from Eric Schades' www.shearwater-boats.com website.
So here you have photographic evidence that you CAN build a double by stitch and glue

Happy building.