The Guillemot is the kayak Nick Schade set out to create when he first named his boatbuilding and design firm "Guillemot Kayaks". Nick wanted a boat with good all-around performance for his own use. It needed to be "sporty" with quick acceleration and maneuverability, and it needed to be comfortable and easy to paddle to the places he wanted to go. After trying seven different design iterations, Nick solved his problem. With a shallow-V bottom and moderately hard chine, the Guillemot is comfortably stable and maneuverable. Nick brought the volume well into the ends for a smooth ride over waves. The low lines of the deck keep the boat out of the breeze for good balance in cross winds. With practice you will find that the Guillemot designs track easily. At first it will take some concentration to hold course, but with experience the kayak will respond as if it were reading your mind. It will soon react quickly and easily, going where you choose just by thinking about it. Nick originally designed the Guillemot for an article in Sea Kayaker magazine. It also appears in Nick's first book, The Strip Built Sea Kayak. Look there to see images of the construction process. For paddlers who like this design, but need a larger boat, take a look at the Guillemot "L" which is 6% larger. Smaller paddlers who want a higher performance boat should consider the Guillemot "S", a 6% smaller version. Do you fit in this kayak? Study our kayak fit chart. Our strip-built and hybrid kits ship with 50% Western Red and 50% Alaskan Yellow cedar bead & cove strips. Photos on our website and printed materials may show patterns and accent strips with walnut or other materials. Optional walnut strips are available and can be shipped with kit orders.
