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You have no idea just how sweet this boat is Chuck. It paddles so effortlessly. In it I feel that I am at one with the water and nature. Roger.

Just a couple of pics of the finished Quetico. 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) A gem of a Jem.

When out and about in my Jem boats I am often asked about the plans and designer. Invariably the first question that I am asked is "does he do a sea kayak". This could be just an Aussie thing because we have limited navigatable inland waterways and a long coastline with over 90 percent of the...

In actual fact, the bare hull, complete but without hatches, seat, fittings or varnish, came in at just 13.7 kgs or a tad over 30lbs in imperial talk.

Perhaps Matt could offer a fitting service, with made to measure kayak plans. :D

Tight, but just right for me. I will be using the bulkhed as a footrest. For anyone taller than me, or wanting commercial footrests, the bulkhead would have to go further foward.

If the Osprey handles half as well as this one Jack, then it really is a great boat. :D Ok, I know I am biased, but the Quetico really has exceeded all my expectations. By the way , I'm running out of storage space, so this one is going to have to double up as a coffee table. Thats why the...

:D :D :D :D :D :D 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) The Quetico has just been taken for a test run. WOW. Dropped it in at a local lake. The wind was blowing at about 50kph gusting to about 60kph. Gave it an initial try out in a sheltered bay and it performed magnificently. Tracked straight and true...

Just a series of photos showing the progress on the Quetico. It's now at the stage where I can take it for a paddle. I am really looking forward to this. Roger

Construction of the Quetico is underway. I am using 3mm Gaboon ply and 4oz fibreglass cloth. Below is a pic of the panels cut out and butt joined. It's a great feeling when the panels are wired together and the boat takes shape. The panels pulled into shape really easy. Seven frames...

When Matt first drew up the concept drawing of this boat he said that people would ask about a 17 footer.

Dont you just love it. Paddling through the wilderness. The gentle sound of water lapping up against the side of the boat. The melodious tweet and chirp from nearby birds and the occasional kaplunk as a mullet leaps out of the water. All of this topped off by the wonderful roar of a chainsaw in...

After building a couple of Matt’ s designs (the Okwata and the Northwind), I’m afraid I’ve got the bug and am itching to start another build. I have thought long and hard about my next kayak and what I wanted in this boat. With two power boats, a couple of canoes and a couple of kayaks I have...

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I have been over zealous and I know I have been guilty of lifting and relaying the cloth in trying to achieve the neatest possible finish. Guess I'll just have to improve my skills at the pointy bits. Cheers

Normally I don’t have too much of a problem in wetting out fibreglass cloth. I just pour epoxy onto the cloth and spread it out with a plastic spreader. I then squeegee off the excess. The problem I have had is where I lay cloth over a wetted out cloth. For example when glassing around the bow I...

I always wear a PFD in open water. lakes and bays etc., but I do admit that I sometimes don't in shallow skinny little backwaters and streams. Mine is a co2 type but not automatic. You have to pull on a red tag to inflate it, or manually blow it up. I figured that you can sometimes get wet in a...

I have to agree with you Ron. The Northwind is a heck of a boat. It is a canoe wich will keep up with most kayaks and leave many in it's wake. I put a rudder in mine, but it is entirely unnecessary. This boat tracks very straight. You just pick a spot in the distance and paddle towards it...

I have finally fitted out my Northwind and given it five coats of varnish and I reckon it looks pretty good :D :D :D :D 8) Took it for a 10 kilometre paddle up the Wagonga Inlet and I am absolutely thrilled with this boat. The water was really too smooth to give it a thorough...

A stubbie is an Australian term for a small single serving size bottle of refreshing amber thinking fluid. It is normally about 375 ml except of course for the Darwin Stubbie which comes in a 2 litre bottle. ( they're a thirsty lot in the Northern Territory). Cheers Roger

Very neat. Would love a bit more detail. What size motor have you got hanging off it? Roger