: Mr Hamm,

: I do realize this :) , the question is still actual though.

: May be my command of English, that is not helping much when it
: comes to subtileness. I am living in Romania(EU), so, not an
: English language native.
: I actually mean that I could not find a site where industry boats
: to ever be compared with strips. It seems to me like the
: industry ignore the strip world, and viceversa. I just wonder
: why?
: Let's take the Guillemot; it is a well estabished boat on the
: market, built many(hundreds,thousands times?) Why never compared
: with industry products ? I, as a potential buyer only can
: appreciate the way it looks.
: I searched specifically for answers to this question while thinking
: that some of the builders are also instructors/guides , that
: surely could make this comparison. Ok, admitting there is a
: certain degree of subjectivity in this.
: While some of the builders are actually making a living from
: selling strip kayaks( S&G as well) I think it would be in their
: interest to promote these projects as at least equals to
: industry kayaks, main differrence laying in the manufacturing
: process.
: I am sure their potential customers would highly appreciate such a
: comparison, while having the opportunity to rent during their
: holidays, a Avocet, Nordkapp ... can't mention them all, rather
: than a strip boat.

: I am not a builder in this respect, I am an amateur. I also am far
: from kayaking word(keep me informed only over the net)
: The first time I saw a seakayak live, was when I built Bryan
: Hansel's Siskiwit SOF, a few months ago :)
: I try to find out if I would rather buy or build a boat(building
: should be cheaper for me) with the same life span
: expectancy(repairs included) and that should handle somehow
: comparable (here the comparison need ) As this project could be
: the last I can afford , and testing boats is not a matter in my
: reach, I really have a tough decision to face :)
: sorry for being offtopic while not reffering to a specific building
: question

: cheers,
: Gelu

There are some reviews on Paddling.net btw. No direct comparisons that I've ever seen anywhere.

I suspect the reason is that while it's easy to find an example of a production boat, it's much more difficult to find a decent example of a home built one that the builder would let someone else test. That and the numbers of home built kayaks is tiny in comparison to production boats sold, so those that test boats very likely feel there is not enough demand to make testing them worthwhile.

It would definately be nice if there was some way to offer a comparison of home built kayaks to production boats, I just have no idea who would have the time or reason to do it.

Bill H.