: I have seen a few websites with kayaks built out of PVC pipe but none have
: mentioned how the craft performed once they were in the water. Can someone
: out there comment on the performace of these crafts. My own research at
: the local lumber yard suggests that PVC might be a bit too flexible.

PVC is flexible when it's warm and brittle when cold. It's nowhere near as strong as wood.

Galvanized steel is VERY heavy compared to wood. It's soft and will bend if you were to bang your boat against something hard, which is inevitable. It will rust at the cut ends.

I'm really curious as to why you don't want to use wood? It's proven to be an ideal material over thousands of years. You're not likely to find any substitute that provides the same strength, weight, water resistance and workability for the price.