Having not mastered the art of the short post, here is a summary of these questions:
1. Is 5.2mm lauan too heavy to use for an 18' boat?
2. What weight cloth can I get away with if doing both sides hull and deck with 9oz taped interior seams and reinforcement strips.
3. Do Raka's epoxy pumps work well?
4. Will the thick and presumably soft core ply of the lauan dictate thicker cloth for puncture and ding resistance? Will it make a weak composite sandwich?
5. Where do you get copper wire for stitching locally? Or online.

Went down to Home Depot today and bought some 5.2mm lauan 4x8 panels. They had 3mm also, but this was in 3x7 panels, and looked crappy with voids. Thick stuff has no voids visible with light (but they may be discovered in cutting), thick core, really thin outer veneers light and "OK" looking on one side, dark and rougher on the other. It feels pretty heavy, but I've never held a full 4x8 of 4mm Okoume before so I can't judge. Ross Liedy recorded using 5mm lauan on his version of the Sea Kayaker S&G. He also commented that perhaps battleship gray paint was appropriate but I got the idea somehow that his boat came out around 50#, which I would consider acceptable--but I think I gleaned that from one photo caption which said 45# for the hull and deck and it wasn't finished.
Ross, you around? How much did your boat weigh?

If you don't think it's too heavy, what about in terms of bending? I *think* that if I build the boat with the paneled deck as designed, it should make those bends. Maybe some trouble with the bow and stern joins. But will I wind up with a 65# + boat? The four full sheets of wood are too cumbersome to hold at once, but just lifting the edge on four sheets is heavy. I'm not worried about it being a little bit troublesome to fit and stitch, if it works in the end, my primary concern is that it may just be too heavy.

If it is deemed usable then what does the collective say about maybe using all 4oz FG cloth instead of 6oz on the hull and deck with 4oz inside? I don't have a good feel for weights of cloth. The stuff in my previous kit was heavier for the hull than the deck. I *think* that was 4 and 6 ounce. Also, what about the structure of the composite sandwich? Aren't thicker softer cores more susceptible to puncture or dents and dings possibly compromising the skin? Should that be offset with heavier glass? How much weight does a glass job add anyway, roughly speaking? Is two layers of lighter cloth stronger than one layer of thicker? My understanding is that most of the weight addition in glassing comes from epoxy. What do the ounce designations on the cloth mean? Is it 4oz a yard? Or 4 oz per sq. ft?

I'm planning to go to Raka for epoxy and cloth as many folks seem to be pleased with them and I have not found any cheaper prices. Speaking of which, do Raka's pumps work well or should I maybe think about using syringes and measuring cups?

One more question: Where in the heck do you buy copper wire or other wire suitable for all this foolishness?

Thanks!
TD