Chris,

I built a plywood and glass version of George Putz's Walrus for $140. I used cheap 1/8" mahogany plywood (luan), Raka 3.25 oz satin glass, and Raka epoxy. The construction method was plywood on frame instead of stitch and glue. The finished kayak is 17' x 22" and weighs 43 pounds. It tracks great, turns extremely sharp edged turns, and has plenty of stability. It is also quite balanced in the wind. The drawback is I put a low deck on it, so it doesn't have much volume for camping. It could be built with a higher deck though.

The luan is heavier than okkume but quite tough. It does splinter a little more, but can have some very distinctive grain patterns. I found it easy enough to work with and it saved me about $80 total, plus I could get it in town instead of driving for a couple of hours. I have also used the more expensive okkume, it is nicer, but it does cost more. If you are on a tight budget, 1/8" luan should be fine. It is usually under $10 per sheet. Just look for voids that may cause weak points. Also try to find sheets that have ply's of equal thickness.

Mike

: If you plan on "glassing" a stitch and glue kayak, what are the
: acceptable kinds of plywood to use? Cost is a consideration as a group of
: older scouts is making several together and we need to spend what is
: necessary, yet conserve funds where possible.