#SHORTS
The final sanding is done, finish applied, and all of the final parts are fastened on. The entire build took 200 hours of work over 6 months (in my spare time). The finished weight of the 16-1/2 foot kayak is 44 pounds.
This was the first cedar strip kayak I have ever built, but it will not be the last. I really enjoyed the entire process (although the finish work is a bit tedious). Next time I will probably start with raw materials instead of a kit, but the kit was a great way to learn. My favorite part was the turtle hatch that I added with a wood-burner. I also inlaid a 2020 (COVID) penny into the deck so I will always remember what allowed me the time to finish in a relatively short period of time.
Thanks to Joe at Redfish Kayaks for providing a great product and excellent support along the way.