I built a cedar strip canoe just because I wanted to have a canoe. I enjoyed building it so much that I then built
a "simple" to build stitch and glue tortured plywood kayak.
The kayak was one of the early designs, the Yare, from Cris Kulczycki's first book The Kayak Shop.
It has the reputation of being very tender and not for the casual paddler. I built it to have a quick cheap boat to
get some outdoor exercise.
After paddling the Yare for a couple years only in protected waters, it was time to venture out in to the ocean.
I then built my third boat a CLC Chesapeake 17 from purchased plans.
After a couple of years gaining ocean experience in the Ches 17, I built my fourth boat an 18 foot Point Bennett.
It is my current kayak of choice to paddle and I do regularly.