The new kayak is now even closer to being finished while not totally done.

• Coaming added: glass and carbon molded lip on a ply upstand.


• 6" RWO inspection hatches set into front and rear bulkheads, and bulkheads bonded in place.


• Brackets added to attach the backrest to.


• Yakima sliding footrests added.

All that's left is the final finish: sanding then maybe a final coat of epoxy if it needs it, then paint or varnish. Then add deck lines and bungees.

Further sea trials after adding coaming and bulkheads have shown the following.

• Previous comments about manoueverability, stability and tracking still apply.


• Still very light!


• I've now found it does turn when heeled, hurrah. Not super-strongly, and it turns very easily with a little extra effort on one paddle stroke anyway, but it does work. Good.


• The only negative though is that the secondary stability gives up quite quickly - at quite a low angle of heel - for me. I suspect this is due to the low freeboard: when the waterlevel is significantly over the side of the deck, there is no more hull to get into the water as I heel further, so no extra righting force being added. It's fine for my wife, the intended owner, though, since she is lighter.

Anna loves it which is the most important thing. It's just the right size for her, she feels much more at home than in the Point Bennett.

More pics to follow when the finish is done and deck lines and bungees are on, which will really finish it off.