Hi Jeff,
You are so right. I know that I made many mistakes on this first build, but they will be easily avoided on the next build (which will be a new boat for my wife, though I'm not sure which one yet).
No question that the biggest challenge was the coaming, but also I have a much better understanding now how to build it next time. The sewing required some practice, and next time I will use a different thread, but that too can be easily corrected.
Perhaps the thing that I didn't really understand at the beginning, was how important the depth of the notches in the frames were to the overall look of the boat. I will take more time on the next build to get them right, and to use a piece of fabric to constantly check the lines.
I have a feeling that I could probably now build a boat from start to finish in around 10 days or so, if I could work on it full time, which is freaking fantastic.
Love your boats, Jeff, and your build technique. I may try other build techniques in the future but this was hands down the best way to start.
Plus my wife loves the boat too. She didn't want me to cover it 'cause she thought the frame was the most amazing thing ever.
And a special big thanks to everyone here on the forum. Couldn't have done it without you guys.
Paddle on, dudes!
Jerry