Well after making 3 different cockpit forms and input/help from builders here I thought I should report what I leaned in return for the all help I received. I started not even knowing the real questions to ask, because my experience has been mostly canoes and SOTs, and I didn't "get" the books or instructions I read. And neither of these even talked about anything but a cockpit like 31" X 16". I only had some feeling in my gut that said a tight cockpit had benefits of sea worthyness and allowing better paddler/boat contact. But I didn't even know if these things were true and I didn't know what I would be giving up with an ocean cockpit (hell, I didn't even know the size of one).

For me about a "keyhole" cockpit I would sum it up with: Make the smallest largest size you can. With a model (or better yet another boat that "fits") you can determine the size where you can bend your knees up all the way from a fully seated position. Make it no bigger than to clear your knees with out problem. From my model it looks like my knees will then still be under deck when fully extended. This seems to me to give the benefits of a keyhole with out making it larger then nessecary for no benefit and at some point of "too big" it becomes a negative.

If you want an ocean cockpit it should remain small. Meaning it will be small enough to allow a the paddler in question to enter the boat by sliding in feet first only. Depending on the size of the person 16" X 18" might be an average. I learned if you are going to make an ocean cockpit don't make it bigger than necessary for this purpose.

These are 2 different styles and don't "mix" well as part of me was trying to do. I finally asked one of the real questions I should have been asking first. What do you want to do in the cockpit? Well that is a long answer, but one thing came clear. I do want all sorts of adventures, but I am sure that I want a cockpit that will sometimes let me enjoy a nice calm bit of drifting on a nice day, with no spray skirt and just kick back. For that how much more comfortable to be able to move your knees up and have that room to enjoy. Not too mention the great benefits of many, many easier entries and exits. So after all my pestering of you guys here, that's what I did. Made the smallest large cockpit I could. I did just want to write out what I THOUGHT and just say it plain. BUT I do want to make it plain that I am NOT telling anyone what is "right" like I am an expert. I haven't even finished one boat yet! My only thing writing this was to share not preach or somehow sound like what I learned for me is right for anyone else. I just wanted to pay this BB back a little with out meaning to give anyone wrong info. So like my dad always said, take what you want and throw the rest away.

Joe