I’ve built several boat kits from Chesapeake Light Craft (CLC). I’d recommend the Wood Duck kayak with the okoume deck to start out with, but all of the kits have been very complete (just add sandpaper, paint, and varnish) and have gone together just as the straightforward, illustrated manuals say they should. In addition, there are two venues for problem solving: CLC phone support during business hours and the Builder’s Forum on their site. There are a lot of seasoned builders there who love sharing their experiences.