I built my CY (2007) kit without alignment tabs, scarf joints/no puzzle joints and gains had to be cut in bow planks. She is absolutely beautiful and is adream to row. I added the scuppered inwales and matching breasthooks, and put three row stations (mid for solo rowing and a stern/bow station for tandem rowing. I also installed the Piantedosi row seat wing with the long oars.
She moves nearly effortlessly with one person or two onboard. With two people, weight and balance (balance, in particular) must be considered. More weight at the stern (as long as the bow is not off the water and in the air) to keep the skeg in the water. She tracks like she is on rails. She turns easily, also and keeps her momentum. In crosswinds, she is easy to keep tracking straight, providing the skeg is in the water as mentioned above, otherwise she is a nightmare (ask me how I found out LOL).
On my third outing, my wife and I both rowed her out and about 1/2 mile from the launch ramp,one of my wife's oarlocks sheared at the shaft (metalurgical defect). We were both rowing at a good clip, the sound of the sudden bronze lock snapping, followed by her oar hitting the hull and the expletives that came out startled me. Her oar blade lifted my port oarlock that (was not secured) and flew in the water. More expletives and I pulled the starboard oralock that also flew into the water. All this to say, I ended up standing in the boat, amidship and using one oar to propel us back to the ramp, alternating stroke sides, SUP style. It was nearly effortless getting back, that way. I have since changed the oarlocks (CLC was quick to send a set to replace the defective originals; Thank you, John Harris!). My oarlocks are now secured instead of free standing. I like the open oarlocks better than the closed ones. It also allows me to rest the blade in the second set of oarlocks, when I am by myslef and want to stop and smell the roses, or fish without having oars clutter the inside.
Her lines are sweet, in my opinion and she definitely turns heads and keeps you busy at the ramp with people asking questions.
Having said all this, I am not a "professional" rower. I like it, but I prefer sailing (I bought the CY for her lines, then realized I prefereed sailing or motoring). I have a Skerry, too. The Skerry rows easily and I actually find it more enjoyable to row (does not perform as well as the CY while rowing, but more room and more comfortable than the little wooden seats of the CY. Since I am not about racing, I would put a thwart in the CY, rather than the tiny movable seats. Floorboards are removable with a toggle on the frames. I find that to be a pain: there is always water, sand or something getting through the seat cleat holes in the floorboards, so I always end-up having to remove them to clean so water does not pool or dirt that damages the finish. on the one before last coat of varnish, I sprinkled some silica to make it antiskid. I would do that, again as it works great and washes easily. It also looks good (in my opinion), as it contrasts without clashing with the shiny bright finish.
For the row seat, the floorboards have to be fixed, beyond the toggle, so blocks with screws and washers must be added, which (see above) makes removing the floorboards more of a pain, especially given that I use some marine sealeant on the screws and that needs to be re-applied. Bottom line, I enjoyed the row wing for one season and now, it is sitting in my workshop.
I would buy, build and row the CY, again if I were to pick a CLC boat. The build was not difficult, but took some care. As always with these boats, the level of finish dictates the amount of time and care during the built. I spray painted the outer hull in Hatteras white and varnished the inetrior and rails. I also varnished the top plank on either side of the exterior hull. Name in Gold Leaf on the transom. I did not put any tow ring, or similar in the hull or on the breasthook, which makes securing on the trailer a bit more of a pain, but keep the lines clean. I found that a strap over the row locks, amidship keeps it on the Trailex trailer at any speed, so far. I travel with a CLC custom cover with bungees and that helps, also in transport.
