.  For the most part, I built her to Kirby's plans with a few exceptions.  The tiller comes through the coaming rather than over which I felt would be more esthetic and also more comfortable in the hand by being lower.  The spars I built myself of Sitka spruce, epoxy, fibreglass  and carbon fibre.  The centreboard I made from 1/4" plate steel instead of aluminum which I then built up and faired with carbon fibre, fibreglass, and epoxy/microballoons to the required 1/2" thickness.  It's slightly heavier but probably makes the boat a bit stiffer.  Apparently the Aussies are making them somewhat thicker than specified for better windward performance but I was already past that point in the building process when I discovered this.  Besides, I would lose valuable footroom at the sides of the centreboard trunk.  For auxiliary power I use a 43 lb. thrust electric trolling motor which I can lower and raise through an aperture in the lazarette.  Despite all of the nay sayers on various forums and discussion groups on the 'net with regards to the use of electric motors, I have been very happy with this setup.  If your building the 26 footer, you will have to go with a gas kicker but of course you will also have a decent-sized motor well in that design.  I've never been very keen on hanging a gas motor on the transom of a sailboat.  I also home-brewed five fluorescent lamp cabin lights that are very economical on power consumption yet very bright.  They don't give you cadaverous blue-green hue that many of the commercial units put out and are also very cheap to build.

          Patrick Heine