: OK, please don't think this is blasphemy!!

Blaspehmy??? No such thing...it's all about building the boat or your dreams! No matter if it's a canoe or kayak, pirogue (PGJ), or sailboat!

: My primary use is a day boat for paddling.

By yourself... solo? Our canoe is a two person lift on our SUV, same with our skin on frame double sea kayak. I can get our single kayaks on by myself, but it's much easier with a friend.

It will be a mix of big lake and
: small streams. No open water paddling. If I had a kayak, I might take to
: the Ocean on vacation but it would be rare. We do have a big lake and big
: waves, but big is 3 to 4 foot and that is only in really nasty times when
: I wouldn't be out on the lake. (Unless it was to play in the big waves).
: It takes a lot of wind to create waves like that for us.

Small streams require shorter boats for maneuverability. Big lakes with 3-4 foot waves would give canoe paddlers an exciting outing, and a kayak paddler an opportunity to enjoy the waves breaking over the deck.

: I want to do some camping with my niece. So I need to be able to haul
: some gear.

It's not the haulin' of the gear "in the boat" that's an issue, it's loading and unloading...for portages, and making and breaking camp. Canoes are much easier to load and unload because you pack all the loose gear in larger packs that can get heavy. Packing and unpacking a kayak with little ditty bags is fine if you don't plan to do it more than twice a day (setting up and tearing down camp)...or if you have a base camp set up, and plan to do day trips from there in an empty boat.

This will take place on mostly flat water. Some of the rivers
: around us have shoals and maybe a couple of class 2 rapids. Not real white
: water where we would go.

Still, you can scratch up your pretty finish on those class II's...adds character, but rentals might be better.

: The advantages I see are that a canoe could be lighter (no decking) and
: probably a bit more convenient to camp out of.

Lighter boats? Here again, a canoe with a padded portage yoke is easier to carry than a kayak without one...even if the canoe outweighs the kayak. Canoes are definately more easy to camp out of, but much more exciting on bigger water...

For me, sitting in a canoe is much easier to tolerate than sitting in a kayak, especially for long voyages.

I read through the posts that preceeded me, and they are all very good suggestions!

: Quicker to build but that
: is really an issue.

Quicker is really up to you. Canoe's are easier, in my opinion because you don't have to attach a deck to the hull.

: Kayak being a closed boat is nice because it keeps
: unwanted water and animals and insects out.

I agree with the guy who lives in Alabama...once the critters get in, it's nice to be able to get 'em out without too much hysteria.

: It can be rolled and a canoe
: can not.

Canoes that capsize closer to shore or in shallow water are easier to bail.

Of course she will probably never learn but the first 180 degrees
: anyway. :-)

I guess that's what life jackets are for, and besides, these make for good stories.

: I will build me a kayak regardless,

Good for you!

:Maybe her a canoe

A solo boat? Might as well build her a kayak...depending on design and method (strip, or stich and glue) you might be able to save costs on plans and effort in station moulds.

: But I am serious in asking what advantages the kayak has for someone who spend their time on flat water and does a little camping?

Kayaks look real nice, are versitile in the types conditions they can handle (big water, small water), they are relatively easier to on/off load.

Most serious paddlers, have different boats for different situations, and as it was for me and so many others here, we couldn't just build one boat.

Bill Cruz