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- Tim Wimborne (Australia): Expedition
- I christened my Cape Ann Expedition yesterday and named it "Point
Reyes" ...It is an absolute joy and also one of the fastest kayaks I
have paddled...It is predominantly Western red cedar (various colours)
with a Canadian pine in the central pattern...Thanks for your assistance
and replies to my emailed questions over the months. The plans you sell
are perfect and easy to follow. The builders guide is very good and
the online shop pages a great idea.
- David Smith (Washington st.): Cape Ann Double - Just wanted
to let you know how much I appreciate your great plans, instructions
and web site. Everything worked, and went together just as you described...This
last week we were able take it out for 4 days of paddling around to
our local marine parks here in the San Juan Islands in Washington State.
The boat carried all of our gear with ease and handled beautifully.
What a great design!!!!! I modified your rudder from the flip up and
over type to one that just pulls up on deck,which was easy to do and
seems to work well...I also wanted you to see the expensive custom spinnaker
I use (umbrella) that zips the boat along even in light airs. Unfortunately
I don't have any photos of the zipping, but I'm including one taken
in light air. I'm including some other photos as well. I had so much
fun building the boat I'd like to build strip kayaks as a business so
hopefully I'll be purchasing more of your designs. Obviously I'm very
pleased with the way she turned out. Thanks again for your wonderful
designs, and construction help.
  
- John Caldeira (Texas): Sport and Cirrus LT (Hybrid)-
I want to thank you for the wonderful design of the Expedition Sport
and also the very complete and clear plans. Now that I've had the boat
out a few times, I am very impressed with the handling. So easy to roll,
too...I appreciated the excellent and the most complete set of plans
I've received from any designer. The manual was very helpful too. Thanks,
John
Construction and more pix: http://www.outdoorplace.org/paddling/Sport/Sport1.htm
   
Cirrus LT below.
I am pleased to report that my new Cirrus LT was launched this past
Sunday. Thank you for the great design. It has a very sexy streamlined
look, and paddles well. Very good tracking and stability. I am especially
pleased by it's performance in crosswinds, rear-quarter and following
seas. Some photos of my creation are on this web page: http://www.outdoorplace.org/paddling/CirrusLT/CirrusLT3.htm
- Clive Merrifield (Great Britain):
Storm LT - A couple of pictures
of my first trip in my storm LT. Boat paddled great and I was stopped
4 times walking just 20 yards to the beach to talk about it!! Maybe
a first for the Bristol Channel?
 
- Jerry Nolan
(Colorado): Expedition - Been meaning to let you know what a
pleasure it was to build the Cape Ann Expedition. What really surprised
me is how well the boat handles. It is much more maneuverable than I
expected and still tracks very well. I know what I talking about because
I am a veteran paddler with over 40 years of racing experience and over
100 wins in just about every type of racing: sprint, marathon, whitewater,
seakayak, etc. Here is a web page with pictures: http://home.mesastate.edu/~jerry/guide/Boat%20Building/boatpictures03-07.htm
- Salvador Camps (Spain): Cirrus
- ...I would like to thank you for your kind answers every time I needed.
I expect to enjoy this kayak meny years to come and it has been a great
experience to build it. If I have to make another one, I know it will
come out much better because I have learn a lot through the construccion
process. Thanks very much. By the way, the pictures have been taken
at Valmayor in Madrid province, Spain.
  
- Mike Linton
(Wisconsin): Cape Ann - Star spangled kayak.
  
- Trevor Alborough (New Zealand):
Cirrus - As a first time builder, I've sometimes thought that
I should have picked an easier design. But I think if you prepared to
restrain your urgency to hit the water this is excellent design. After
having my ego boosted by yachties and swimmers complementing me on a
beautiful boat, I 'm not actually sure if I paddled or just levitated
over the water!
   
- John Lear (Australia): Storm
- Gidday, I thought I would forward a photo of my Cape Ann Storm after
completing the Murray River Marathon 404 kilometeres. It caused quite
a stir amongst the carbon fibre, plastic, and fiberglass crowd. The
boat never failed to get comment on each day of the race. One guy asked
me if I had entered the most beautiful boat competition and another
wants to buy it when Im finished with it...I finished second in my class,
veterans over 55yrs. I have paddled many miles in training and the boat
has taken everything I can dish out and the weather can dream up and
had never rolled I feel I have become part of the boat.
- Avner Moncaz (Israel): Storm
- 4 month ago, I moved with the 3 packages of wood from the living
room into my workshop. Today I moved back….Thanks a lot for every moment
of pleasure. Both while building and paddling - Avner
http://www.moncaz.com/capeann.html
  
- Chris Lambkin (Australia): Cirrus
- These shots were taken in the creeks which flow into the Hawksebury
River, (The Rhine of the Southern Hemisphere) about 1 hour North from
the heart of Sydney by car....Chris Lambkin. Enthusiastic Cirrus Builder
Owner and Paddler
   
- Tom Regan (Maine): Storm SLT -
Thanks Vaclav for drawing such a nice boat. My daughter reports she
can do circles around her Mom in a plastic two person kayak. Here are
two shots of the completed boat.
 
- Florian Schneidt (Neatherlands):
Cirrus - I had the pleasure of launching my finished Cirrus...I
must say it was an easy build with very good handbook and excellent
plans. And I am exceptionally pleased with the handling. It tracks really
well and there is very little weathercocking ( I had it out at windforce
4-5 and waves about 70cm). In thes conditions it felt rock stady and
I felt more at ease than any other boat yet. I did add a cockpit recess
and I think this improves the ease of rolling very much if you do leaned
back rolls.
 
- Steen Bondo (Denmark): Storm
LT - Ridewise, I get more and more
happy with the boat. Have (so far) had it in +22km wind and 3feet waves
- with my weight it's that close to neutral in the wind that I (for
now) see no, or very little, need of a skeg. My wife finds it weathercock
some, but she's also about 10kg lighter, therefore the aft will be a
bit higher(can be trimmed). In shorter waves from aft it wants to go
it's own way (back lean helps), on the other hand it responds beautiful
to steering strokes.
Web page of Storm LT construction: http://kayakparadise.dk/html/stormlt.html
 
- Bruce Crosby (Ohio): Expedition - Finished my Expedition last
Friday, pulled it out of the basement and into the sunlight....I am
astonished at how much attention it draws, people honking, waving, touching,
etc....I get a lot of compliments on how nice it looks.....finished
weight is 54 lbs. with 6oz. cloth inside and out (2 full layers on outside
bottom)...overall I'm very happy with the way it turned out...
- Dee Robert Inman
(Washington): Storm - I launched the Storm October 2003. Since
that time I have paddled it over 200 miles and look forward to each
time I go out...Thanks for a great design on both the Storm and Rudder!
  
- Bob Brownie (California): Cirrus - I launched my Cirrus today
and I love it! I am a novice kayaker and first time builder but found
your plans and book to be very helpful... Seems to be very fast and
tracks very straight. I fit very snugly in the cockpit but I hope to
lose a little weight along the way. ...I continue to be amazed that
I was able to build a kayak that is both nice to look at and great fun
to paddle. I am getting more comfortable in the boat each day and will
soon start paddling with the local kayak club here in Ventura, CA. Lots
to learn about this sport! Thanks again for the super design.
  
- Matt White (Australia): Storm
- Please accpet my thanks for a superb sea kayak design. The boat works
exactly as you had said it would: perhaps even better. I built the boat
mainly as a way to try and re learn some patience...and to involve my
kids in, with the boat itself being a bonus. All of that worked, and
I am really pleased with the outcome. I feel a sense of acheivement
in finishing, and more importanlty really enjoyed the process of getting
there...I used to race DRR/ marathon, and later paddled creeks for many
years. I took the Sport for a series shakedown paddles on the north
coast of NSW, in surf, 25+ knot winds, a good 2metre swell and so on.
It worked a treat...I am really surprised at the outright speed of the
boat. While it is not a "race" boat, it is really quick, and very easy
to keep at a strrong touring pace. It is I think a bit faster than my
Mirage 580, which is a well regarded boat in these parts. It is "livelier"
to paddle than the Mirage, lifting more quickly out of the chop. It
is a joy to paddle.
- John Wentz (Washington state): Expedition
Sport - She speeds out like crazy and is a joy to paddle. Not to
mention that you may never get off of the beach due to all of the admirers.
- Clas Kreutzman (Finland): Cape
Ann HV - I finally launched my Cape Ann HV kayak.
http://www.mobisound.com/gallery/capeannhv_launch
 
- Dave Murry (California): Cirrus- I love it, everyone I let
paddle it loves it. No problems...Regards Dave
 
...my reconstructed Cirrus (Hybrid), back on the water this weekend.
I didn't really care for the plywood deck so I removed it and converted
the hull to a hybrid. Note that I added a "roller's recess" cockpit
as I prefer a lower configuration and backrest. Excellent performer,
highly recommended by me. This kayak is hull #9 (and hull #11 for the
retrofit). It is the kayak I will take down the Willamette River in
Oregon next year.
  
- Bjørn Lunde (Norway): Storm
- The Storm is really fast, and when I paddle with friends in slow pace,
3 knots I guess, they paddle all the time, but I only take a stroke
now and then!! I made the bow and stern quite sharp, and it makes no
bow waves at all. Never seen anything like it!!...The kayak is built
with pine from Norway, very common here. And one stripe of mahogany...
   
- Dana Callan
(Florida): Expedition - I wanted to tell you that the Cape Ann
Expedition that Jurgen built for me is outstanding! I put it in the
water for the first time on December 27th at Crystal River, Florida.
I enjoyed spraying a little champagne on the bow and a year of waiting
was complete. Your design is exceptional! It tracks like it is on a
R.R an when you lean it turns immediately. It is better than I ever
imagined. Much better! ...It was a beautiful day I'll never forget.
Please refer anyone to me who wants to know more about the Cape Ann
Exp. I live in Central Florida and will be happy to show it off or let
anyone take it for a test ride.
 
- Alistair Swift (Scotland): Storm-
Vaclav, thought you might like to see my 'Storm' on its maiden voyage
in the North Sea near Aberdeen, Scotland. I have to admit I enjoyed
the woodwork more than the fibreglassing, but now it's done I'm looking
forward to paddling it as often as I can.
- Bruce Gaal (Australia): Cirrus-
G'day from Sydney, Cirrus finally complete (and waterproof)! Cruises
like a dream. Regards Bruce
   
- Greg Bridges (California): Cape Ann Double - Another one of
your designs hit the water today. Tracks great and is really stable.
The wife approves! I built it with recessed cockpits and wood combings.
Hull is western red cedar, redwood, and padauk. Deck is sitka spruce,
padauk recesses, ebony/hardmaple accent strip, hard maple combings.
  
- Alwyn Thompson (Canada): Storm
- ... Everything has gone very well - thanks in no small part to your
excellent plans and instructions...The Cape Ann Storm is finished and
she is beautiful! (See photos)...It was shipped out to Halifax, where
my Son resides. Three layers of bubble wrap did the trick. I just want
to tell you that your plans and building instructions were excellent,
and i had no trouble at all! I have built a 12' sailing dinghy in the
past, and those plans and instructions were a nightmare, so it was a
real pleasure working on the kayak. My son reports that the kayak behaves
wonderfully, tracks well; the ocean swells sweep over the flush hatches
as if they weren't there, and the rudder "works like a dream". If ever
i am asked to do another, i will give you a call!
 
- Ted Johnson (New Hampshire): Expedition - She has been a wonderful
boat. I built her out of recycled redwood from old benches w/ a spruce
shear line and keel. I have not put a rudder on her since she tracks
exceedingly well. The only time I have a bit of a problem is on a broad
reach in a large following sea. I have paddled her for two seasons now,
and am looking forward to giving the Cape Anne double a try...
  
- Scott Holloway & Phil Wilcox (Canada):
2 Storms - Both Phil & I have very little experience in kayaks,
but have found the Cape Ann Storm stable & a pleasure to paddle...Your
'Kayak Shop' site and manual were extremely helpful. Once again, thank
you for your timely advice.
- Dave Albin (Oregon): Cape Ann - I took my Cape Ann to R2K3
last weekend and launched it in salt water. Not quite finished yet--still
some work to go on the seat. The boat did fine...I am a novice paddler
and had to work to keep the bottom side down. Other folks who paddled
it had favorable comments about it. Thanks for all the help, Dave.
 
- Dan Murrish: Storm - I have had the kayak out a number of times
and it paddles very nice. It doesn't feel tippy like the Baidarka that
I made from the Wolfgang design. I also have a Current Design "Carabou".
I think I like your design better than the Carabou. It feels as fast
and handles just as nice. It rolls easy and it is lighter, so it is
very easy to load on top of the car. I definitely get more comments
on how nice it is from people and fellow kayakers...I used cedar and
redwood with clear pine accent strips. Thanks for the nice design.
 
- Cristiano Monzillo (Italy): Cirrus
- I launched my cirrus , everything is perfect I wanna thank you, your
online support is great. www.restauroligneo.it/kayakbuilding.htm
- M. Becker (Florida): Storm
    
- Chas Bernstein (New York): Expedition Sport - Thanks for all
your help - you've been a real hero!!
- Graeme Quin (Australia): Cirrus
- She paddles a like a dream, is light, fast, superb initial and secondary
stability, the hatches are watertight and the rolls were easy. Cirrus
was launched 27 August 06 at Lat 38.46S, Long 144.09. First impressions
on the Estuary: Fast and light. Impressive initial and secondary stability
(superior to CLC Patuxent, old model 17'5" x 21.5"). Excellent response
to leaned turns. Correct trim. Damn fine-looking. First impression in
the ocean (Bass Strait). High volume bow a real asset breaking out through
surf. Tracks nicely in tidal stream. Stability again highly evident.
Feels secure and very controllable. Put it back in the Estuary and did
three rolls. Fore and aft compartments remained completely dry. Building
Cirrus has been a 14 month endeavour, conducted when family permits
at the "ancestral" beach house at the above co-ords, some 80 miles from
my home in Melbourne. It has been worth the effort. I have built a very
fine boat and I thank the designer, well done.
 
- Jerry Cormier: Storm - The Storm was a blast to paddle. thanks
:)
- Marie (New Jersey): Cirrus LT Hybrid - After six months I finally
finished my Cirrus Lt Hybrid. I have been out a few times and I absolutely
love it. It's fast and turns great when leaned. For my first kayak I
think I could have chosen something a little easier, but all the work
was worth it. Thanks you for all your help both by email and your website.
- Oddvar Eide (Norway): Storm
- ..Thanks to your very good building instructions available on the
internet, I didn't spend much time wondering what to do. Here is my
son testing the Cape Ann Storm early in May. Thank you for giving me
a wonderful winter in the freezing cold garage.
- Dave Warner (Maryland): Cirrus Hybrid- I just wanted to let
you know that I'm absolutely delighted with the Cirrus I finished building
about three weeks ago. I've had it out six times in conditions ranging
from calm to 25 mph winds with 18" breaking waves. The Cirrus was a
pleasure to paddle in all conditions. It is efficient, tracks well,
is easy to maneuver, and handles wind and waves from all directions
with ease. The stability curve is superb. The primary is very comfortable,
and the secondary is great. Each time I have paddled the boat, I've
come off the water liking it even more.
http://community.webshots.com/album/171970088LDcDUk
  
- Jay Gazerro (Connecticut): Storm - ... I had the intension
on entering a few local races with this boat. My starter boat is a twelve
foot perception Acadia which I bought April 04. I entered a local five
mile race with this boat and finished thirteenth. This was no good I
needed a faster boat to compete in next years race. Searched the web,
found your site, got excited to build a fast boat. I was pleased with
the finished project, and now to try it on the water. My first thoughts
after getting in and paddling was I can't handle such a tippy boat.
Over the next month took it out a few more times and felt better and
better with it. I enter the same five mile race last week and had people
gathering around the boat to admired it asking questions about how it
was made, they were amazed to say the least. Then race time, off I go,
what a rush when my boat and one other pulled away from the rest. Stayed
behind first place boat until the half way turn then with the waves
coming from behind me he kept pulling away. Finished one and a half
minutes behind him. What a great boat but I have to work on paddling
skills. Next race September seventeenth, already entered. Off to practice.
Thanks for a super boat design and (make it easy) plans.
- Mike Bacon (Vermont): Expedition - Thanks for all your help
with my kayak..The inlay is red wood and aspen the boat is white cedar
that I cut from my own land!
 
- Andrew A. Hanish (Australia):
Storm - Mr Vaclav Stejskal’s help throughout the project is gratefully
acknowledged. I truly appreciate his availability, patience and advice
given, very often on a short notice. Thank you Vaclav for a first class
kayak design and support during the project. I called my kayak “Freedom”
because the entire process meant to me a lot and liberated me from lots
of stress caused by my life’s circumstances. Building of this kayak,
turned out to be the best anti-depressant I know of.
- Charles West (Mississippi): Expedition - I finished the kayak
last March...it was constructed of Cypress cut here in Mississippi and
Honduran mahogany. The boat was a joy to build thanks to your excellent
plans and well illustrated construction manual. After searching the
Internet and seeing the beautiful wooden boats, with their elaborate
inlayed decks, it was my intent to build something similar. But alas
the difficulty banding the strips into elaborate patterns far exceeded
my first time boat builder ability. It is my intent to be more creative
with the double. The boat is still beautiful. It attracts people like
a magnet attracts iron filings.
I am not a boat racer but I have entered this boat
in two races. In my age group (55+) and boat type I came in first both
times. Beauty and speed were not the main reason I chose your design.
I chose this particular boat because it appeared that it would provide
an excellent paddling platform for a person of my size, six feet three
inches at two hundred pounds. I have not been disappointed.
Most of my paddling is done on out extremely smooth local
rivers and lakes therefore the boat's rough water capability does not
get tested. That was true at least until last weekend. My local club
had planned a weekend trip to one of Mississippi's barrier islands.
This island lies approximately 7.5 miles off the coast. What should
have been a non stressful 2.5 hr. paddle turned into a 4.5 hour intense
paddle. The wind started blowing 10-20 mph. There were soon three foot
waves with a very heavy chop. The kayak performed beautifully. The stability
was excellent. The only limiting factor was my experience level with
this type of weather.
I am looking forward to building the double. It should be
ready by late spring. Thanks for what you do.
 
- Nick Waterson (New Zealand): Storm
LT + Expedition - I made the Expedition and StormLT last year and
they get a huge amount of use. I am trying to find an excuse to build
more.
 
- Roger Gelfand (Israel): Sport
-...just prior to varnishing. I have since been out on the water (Mediterranean)
a few times...and the kayak certainly lives up to expectations.... thank
you for a wonderful kayak!
- James Collins
(California): Sport -...This will actually be my 2nd One Ocean
Kayaks boat…I built an Expedition Sport in the last year and it paddles
great. I’ve had it out here in the Monterey Bay a couple of times, as
well as made a few road trips up the California Coast...I usually takes
me a good half hour to get in the water as the many onlookers want to
ask questions and understand “how” do you do it…The Expedition is my
first true kayak...Thanks again for a great handling boat and opening
my eyes to the world of kayaking building / paddling.
  
- Ken Melnyk (Washington):
Expediton -...I like to fly fish for salmon from the kayak and
the relative tippy nature of this design should add an extra element
of thrill to the sport. The project was great fun.
  
- Mark Sicherman
(Canada): SLT + Storm -...
For now, my wife is really enjoying her SLT. She's the envy of our area
as everyone around here either has those crappy rotary polyethylene
kayaks that Costco sells or the garde-variety fiberglass. Hers is faster,
more stable, and just a 'little' more beautiful.
http://www.homeonthewater.com/kayak/webpage/page0001.html
- Roger Warren
(California): Expediton -I spent today kayaking on Tomales Bay
here in Marin County, CA with a group I just joined called BASK, (Bay
Area Sea Kayakers. My Cape Ann Expedition is a dream to paddle and usually
the center of attraction wherever I go. The fruits of our labor are
being enjoyed.
- Matthew Kumjew
(Australia): Cirrus LT Hybrid
-...The kayak glides effortlessly through the water. It's fast and stable,
and a perfect choice I think for anybody considering building a first
kayak. Thanks for your wonderful design and well thought out plans &
instructions...The wood for the deck was all Kiri or Pawlowni with Western
Red Cedar for the feature strips. The Kiri must have been very light
because the fully fitted out weight was only 32lbs or 14.5 kgs.
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