Derek, my kayak is homebuilt from plans. The hull is the CLC Patuxent 17, which then (1995) was CLC's fastest boat; they no longer offer it. The cockpit and deck are my own design. Again, if you have a wooden boat, be assured that it will be the strongest kayak on the water.

Magooch, here's the short version: A quiet weekday in June 2005. A friend and I are chatting while crossing from one side of a tidewater channel to another. A whisper-quiet powerboat suddenly appears right behind me (thankfully not up on plane) on a certain collision course. I roll to my left and powerfully eject myself from the cockpit at a 45 degree angle downward, to avoid impact at all costs. Powerboat runs over my kayak, tearing Great White-size hole in stern hull, shattering spare paddle, strewing stuff everywhere. Pilot is an 83-year-old man--he stops, dazed by incident, takes full responsibility--says he wasn't looking where he was going while intent on figuring out new GPS unit. My kayak, because it has built-in styrofoam flotation, doesn't sink. Boater takes me and kayak back to my launch site, and we settle on monetary damages on the spot--I am made whole. I fix kayak good as new and get new paddle. Boater says he will think seriously about giving up boating at his age. Moral: impact was dual responsibility--neither of us was paying proper attention--I have gotten much more observant at all times on the water--as kayakers, we are very vulnerable.