Just too gaudy or what?

[NormMessinger]

http://media18.hypernet.com/mywb/icache/item826.jpg

WOW! I would dearly love to see this kayak in person. Looks like a thing of beauty and joy forever. I'd be afraid to use it but I sure would be proud if I built one like this.

Hats off.

--Norm

[Tom Dugan]

I was going to ask Norm whether it was stained, intarsia, or what, but since it's in My Wooden Boat, I checked the description:

"Description: Strip built construction from Western Red Cedar, Eastern white pine, Ash, Black Walnut and Padauk. The boat was built without staples and the deck is completely made of solid strips steam bent into position."

Quite an amazing piece of work. I'd never be tempted to try it, though, because I'd be afraid to take it out of the house!

-T

[Steve Lansdowne]

There are several others kayaks with rather incredible deck designs posted by their builders on kayakforum.com.

[TomRobb]

I think a kayak is exactly the sort of boat for this sort of thing - personal totems, honorific nods to the boats' spiritual ancestors, flags, whatever rings your chimes.
I'd love to see pix of the building process http://media5.hypernet.com/~dick/ubb/biggrin.gif

[Robert Forsell]

Here's a link to the builder's site,
http://www.geocities.com/kentsyaks/index.html