# What might be..... **URL:** \ **Category:** Builder's Forum\ **Created:** [May 21, 2009, 12:56am UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/what-might-be/35262 "2009-05-21T00:56:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lawrence\_Watson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Lawrence\_Watson](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Lawrence_Watson)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 12:56am UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/what-might-be/35262/1 "2009-05-21T00:56:30Z")
It would be interesting, and perhaps instructive, to ponder the future of amateur home-built sea-kayak developments over the next several years, in terms of design: materials: and construction methods.   On the **design** front, I guess that the basic parameters for sea-kayaks already exist, but could we see a move away from the more traditionally-based designs with upswept bows and/ or sterns to more ‘modern’ interpretations?   And will computer-assisted design programmes become more accessible to the amateur designer-builder?  In terms of **materials** , widespread use of exotics may still remain outside the realm of the amateur builder, but what else might be on the horizon replacing or augmenting ply and/ or timber stripping?  Current **construction** methods appear set in concrete, with a few minor variations on the themes of S&G and strip-plank, but is anything else likely to appear that might be adapted by the home builder?   I exclude skin-on-frame from this as it appears to be a minority interest, although still a valid approach.  I’d find it interesting to hear the views of others.   Always nice to think about ‘what might be’!   Get those creative thinking caps on, guys!    Wordsmith ---
**Author:** ![David\_Ramsdell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c67d28/32.png) [@David\_Ramsdell](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/David_Ramsdell)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/what-might-be/35262/2 "2009-05-21T19:41:43Z")
I just had the opportunity to sped a week with a friend in Boston who is sailing in the Volvo Ocean Race. The sailboats are 70-ft in length and average 25 knots and due to their speed are always close hauled it seems. What I learned is that the placement of the chines was very important to the strategy - whether they anticipated more or less time in heavy vs light air. there was also the matter of materials - lots of money begets a lot of carbon fiber material. Still, at the end of the day it was all about weight and hull design. Imagine a mono-hull sailboat cruising at 25kn in 20 kn wind. Can we apply the same principals to kayak design. I don’t know. After may years of sailing I am on my first kayak build. JD