Not that I have any regrets with the first two yaks. The first kayak plan was chosen to get the biggest boat, that would hold the most gear and allow me to go on longer expeditions. Savor Diem. The plans were from One Ocean and they were of the Cape Ann Expedition. I can't say enough about the great web site that Vaclav Stejskal created for the benefit of all. He teaches boat building, tests materials, recommends material supplier, etc. If you buy the plans he has ever more details on building a fine craft.
The boat I built for Jan definitely needed to be smaller. For this I wanted to try a different company so I went with Guillemot and bought the plans for the Guillemot S. The S plans create a boat that is very stable and can keep me from getting too nervous when Jan or my daughters get in to tall seas.
The next one will be more a model of speed, agility and efficiency (at least I will have to learn how to pack more efficiently). I have not bought plans yet but I'm thinking that the Gillemot Night Heron.
The boat building for number III started on 11-Nov-2011 when we went to the family cabin and cut down a few White Cedar trees. I was looking for one tree (first Picture) that would do it but the best tree was going to be hung up by another tree (second picture-with my son Jake, at the saw). We actually had to cut a third tree down to get the trees to fall. There was more dry rot in the center of the trees than I would have like but not much you can do about that. Between three trees and maybe this time using a band saw lumber mill, I might get enough good boards. Last time I used a chain saw lumber mill I made for my dad's 20" Homelite chain saw. It worked well but wasted a lot of wood.
QOD: That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the task itself has become easier, but that our ability to perform it has improved. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882).
