: How about fast top build with no steam-bent ribs, and no plywood,
: either,

: This design is from Platt Monfort's line of Geodesic Aerolite
: boats. Fast to build and fairly inexpensive. You can order any
: "exotic" materials you might need from their website,
: www.gaboats.com
: The boat pictured below is their Snowshoe 12 which weighs under 15
: pounds and holds about 175 pounds. If your son is larger, there
: are bigger boats on the site.

: PGJ

Monfort's boats are very nice and very light, also fairly fragile. Used in deep water they are fine, don't want to ever drag them on the shore though. I use the same fabric he, well they do ( he's gone) but I add a layer of glass for abrasion resistance. The Dacron has little abrasion resistance used alone. I had a chance many years ago to spend a considerable amount of time talking to Platt when he was first intro'ing these boats, interesting guy.

Bill H.