Here you'll find light touring kayaks -- boats with more of a performance dimension, but with enough storage capacity for backpacking-type gear if you want to head out for 2-5 days.  For day paddlers, these kayaks offer great speed and will handle like an extension of your body.  These kayaks will reward paddlers interested in rolling, surfing, and advanced paddling techniques.

Check this tool for help choosing the right kayak.

Petrel Play

Petrel Play

When Nick Schade built the Petrel "Play" SG several years ago, he really wanted to build the strip built version. Now it's available. The Petrel Play fits in a cross-over space between recreational kayaks and sea kayaks. It is stable and...

Kits from $1989.00
Plans from $129.00

Petrel Play SG

Petrel Play SG

Paddlers are demanding versatility AND performance from their sea kayaks these days. Little by little, designers like Nick Schade are squeezing huge performance out of compact dimensions. Watch the Petrel Play in surfing action...

from $1569.00

Petrel Play SG-L

Petrel Play SG-L

It can be hard to find the right boat if you don’t fit in the middle of the bell curve.  If your stats run towards the larger end of the spectrum there are not many choices available for performance sea kayaks. The Petrel Play SGL is...

Kits from $1685.00
Plans from $149.00

Shearwater 14

Shearwater 14

  Stitch-and-glue sea kayak design has grown up a lot in the last fifteen years, driven by enthusiastic paddlers who prefer ultralight, beautiful boats that handle like extensions of themselves. For a new line of high-performance sea kayaks,...

Kits from $1485.00
Plans from $119.00

Shearwater 14 Hybrid

Shearwater 14 Hybrid

  Cedar-strip kayaks are admired for their beauty and functionality.  Kayaks made entirely of cedar strips require a “strongback” and special molds, which translates into a lot of skilled labor and time.  Why not...

Kits from $1749.00
Plans from $119.00

Shearwater 16

Shearwater 16

  "[T]he Shearwater is an eye-catching, light and fast cruiser that does many things well. It is a strong contender for the budget-minded paddler looking to answer the 'if I could only have one kayak' question." - from Sea Kayaker's October...

Kits from $1498.00
Plans from $119.00

Shearwater 16 Hybrid

Shearwater 16 Hybrid

Cedar-strip kayaks are admired for their beauty and functionality.  Kayaks made entirely of cedar strips require a “strongback” and special molds, which translates into a lot of skilled labor and time.  Why not combine the...

Kits from $1795.00
Plans from $119.00

Shearwater 17

Shearwater 17

  "The Shearwater is an eye-catching, light and fast cruiser that does many things well. It is a strong contender for the budget-minded paddler looking to answer the 'if I could only have one kayak' question." - from Sea Kayaker's October...

Kits from $1498.00
Plans from $119.00

Shearwater 17 Hybrid

Shearwater 17 Hybrid

Cedar-strip kayaks are admired for their beauty and functionality.  Kayaks made entirely of cedar strips require a “strongback” and special molds, which translates into a lot of skilled labor and time.  Why not combine the...

Kits from $1795.00
Plans from $119.00

Shearwater Sport

Shearwater Sport

 The CLC Shearwater Sport offers the perfect combination of light weight, sharp West Greenland handling, effortless cruising speed, and an extra-large cockpit for comfort.  The shorter length means easier construction, storage, and...

Kits from $1498.00
Plans from $119.00

Sectional Shearwater Sport

Sectional Shearwater Sport

  A kayak divided into three, but a sum greater than the parts.  Spin loose five sturdy stainless bolts at the watertight bulkheads and the Shearwater Sectional packs down to fit in a hatchback car.  Or in your garage.  Or...

from $1689.00

Chesapeake 14

Chesapeake 14

More than 9000 Chesapeake-series kits have been shipped since 1996. An enduring favorite among paddlers, the award-winning Chesapeakes are the gold standard for build-it-yourself sea kayaks. They are easy to build but handsome and fast....

Kits from $1139.00
Plans from $89.00

Chesapeake 16LT

Chesapeake 16LT

More than 7000 Chesapeake-series kits have been shipped since 1996. An enduring favorite among paddlers, the award-winning Chesapeakes are the gold standard for build-it-yourself sea kayaks. They are easy to build but handsome and fast....

Kits from $1298.00
Plans from $89.00

Chesapeake 17LT

Chesapeake 17LT

More than 7000 Chesapeake-series kits have been shipped since 1996. An enduring favorite among paddlers, the award-winning Chesapeakes are the gold standard for build-it-yourself sea kayaks. They are easy to build but handsome and fast....

Kits from $1299.00
Plans from $89.00

Night Heron

Night Heron

  The Night Heron line is an evolutionary branch of the Guillemots, but Nick took a look back at Greenland Inuit boats for some of the hull shaping inspiration. This boat brings the volume of the hull out towards the ends more for a higher...

Kits from $2189.00
Plans from $129.00

Night Heron - High Deck

Night Heron - High Deck

This design is exactly the same as the regular deck Night Heron below the sheer line. The deck has been bumped up for a little more leg room and more storage volume. This boat will maintain the performance characteristics of the standard deck...

Kits from $2189.00
Plans from $129.00

Hybrid Night Heron

Hybrid Night Heron

  This boat combines the quick assembly of the stitch-and-glue hull and the beauty of a strip-built deck. The hull is exactly the same as the S&G Night Heron and the deck is exactly the same as the strip-built version. Since stitch and...

Kits from $1798.00
Plans from $149.00

Hybrid Night Heron - High Deck

Hybrid Night Heron - High Deck

  A hybrid version of the Night Heron, combining a stitch-and-glue hull with the beauty of a strip-built deck. This is a higher-decked version of the hybrid Night Heron, for taller paddlers who need more knee and leg room. Do you fit in...

Kits from $1798.00
Plans from $149.00

Stitch & Glue Night Heron

Stitch & Glue Night Heron

  Like the strip version of the Night Heron, this S&G version is at home out on the open water and exploring the shores of distant islands. As drawn, it has the exact same profile shape of the lower deck version of the strip-built Night...

Kits from $1699.00
Plans from $149.00

Guillemot

Guillemot

  The Guillemot is the boat Nick 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...

Kits from $2099.00
Plans from $129.00

Guillemot

Guillemot "L"

The Guillemot "L" is an enlarged version of the Guillemot. It is intended for larger paddlers who need additional room for their legs and feet. All dimensions have been increased by approximately 6%. In addition, Nick has added to the height of...

Kits from $2098.00
Plans from $129.00

Razor Billed Auk

Razor Billed Auk

  The Razor Billed Auk is a fast boat suitable for long distance touring or recreational racing. It has enough volume to carry gear for an extended tour and has the long waterline and low wetted surface area to move efficiently through the...

Kits from $2225.00
Plans from $129.00