With very little difference, an 18-foot boat is going to weigh what an 18-foot boat weighs. You can maybe save or gain a pound or two here and there, but you won't find much area to lose or gain and save a lot of weight without radically altering the shape of the boat.

Use 'S' glass instead of E-glass. Use less-dense boards (take a scale to the lumberyard). Use less-dense species of wood. Use 3/16 strips rather than 1/4". Use resin sparingly. Use satin glass instead of woven glass. Use resin sparingly. Keep acoutrements to a minimum. Don't go overboard on hatch or coaming design/weight. Use resin sparingly. Fill compartments with helium. Try vacuum-bagging.

Oh, and watch the epoxy use!

Shawn

: Hey Shawn, question for you.
: I was thinking about weight per linear foot on a kayak, a foot of boat in the
: center weighs a lot more than a foot at the ends....fatter. Do you know if
: you get the same performance advantages by adding the length at the ends?
: If I remember correctly, you added another middle form? or maybe added an
: inch between every form.
: What if I left the 4 forms in the middle alone and spaced the end ones out 2
: inches further? Would I end up with a longer boat with all of the
: advantages but without as much additional weight? Of course the cockpit
: area would remain the same and the large foot challenged among us would
: still need to raise the deck a little.

: Just thinking, no plans for a G-18 yet