Thanks for any cognizant advice. I know kayakers, but they aren't into tinkering. I've paddled off and on since the early 1980s, do OK. Probably an intermediate paddler. Have done some ocean work, been through some storms in moderate waters, biggest chop about 4 ft in the Gulf of Mexico long ago. Don't always get chewed up in surf. By no means an expert on anything.

Boat: Old Necky Looksha. 17' x 23 3/4" Warped and scratched up bottom. Fairly stiff laterally, I find it hard to easily edge. Wants to go straight and not lean. Feels pretty wide, stable, almost tubby. I'm wondering whether the warped bottom (previous owner left on roof rack in heat) and highly scratched condition is hurting my speed. Isn't as lively as the ply Greenland influenced boats I've used. Not all that comfortable, either. But mainly speed and acceleration seem less than I like. Kind of ponderous. Am I unrealistic? Considering whether to add a boat. Looking at Cape Falcon F1 construction, or doing a super light ply boat with bracing (3mm marine ply with kevlar strip reinforcement inside, or glued on wood braces). Or some other boat with a reasonable V and hull form.

I don't mind being nearly awash in a low profile boat, so an East Greenland inspired little boat might be OK. I'm not wedded to SOF. I'd even consider buying a boat. I can build pretty much anything, I simply don't feel like taking the time to do something really complex (e.g. strip) and I already have one boat building project starting (solo canoe).

Paddle: I'm using a pretty typical "Greenland" paddle. Symmetric, 3.1" at the tip, 1/3 is roughly parallel back from that, then a taper to 1.4" at the shoulder. Long (because I'm reasonably tall and the boat is wide), weighs about 2.4 lbs. I might thin it for more flex. Works fine as a foil. Drives the boat fairly well, fairly quiet. But it wants a boat that accelerates more quickly. Paddle keeps asking me what's wrong with my boat!!!

So I'm considering making an asymmetric paddle. Either a flat face/curved face Greenland one, or a ribbed Aleut style. I read somewhere that wider more baidarka type boats (where I class the Looksha) do better with this type of paddle. Any experience or input? I have another 2x4 rough cut piece of red cedar screaming to mostly turn in to shavings!!

Thanks very much for any observations or suggestions.