I've been admiring kayaks for some years now, thinking about taking the plunge, or rather, MAKING the plunge. I'm fairly decent at woodworking, have a well equipped shop and have made 1 canoe, the Redbird from Canoecraft.

Last weekend, I dropped by my local REI and sat in a Perception Carolina. It fit beautifully, and while I'm sure it's a wonderful craft, it would look much better if it were a stripper. The salesman explained how durable the plastic models are, and while I'm sure that's true, I'm equally sure they're not a great deal more rugged than a stripper. I've put my canoe through some very tough situations and banged it around a lot. It barely looks used.

Here's the question: How can I find a design that would fit me as well as the Carolina? What's a good basic resource? I have no idea how to start this process.

TIA,
Bruce in MN,
who has drooled all over each and every one of the handmade kayaks I've seen posted here.