Hi Lee;

After joining the legion of strip builders back in February, I am near the finale' of my first stripper, a Georgian Bay. I don't know what you consider economical, but I can tell you how much I got by with, and I consider it the cheapest hobby I've had in many a moon.

My strippin' wood cost $87 total, 4 red cedar boards 12 x 3/4 x 10', 1 Spruce board 10 x 3/4 x 12', and one black walnut board 8 x 3/4 x 8' that set me back $20 (included in the $87) for trim use.

A 3 gallon epoxy kit for $79, you can track down the source by searching this archive for the keyword "Ding-All."

My forms were cut from 1/2 of a sheet of 4x8 plywood that cost $13 at Home Depot. I used an external strongback and had another sheet or two of plywood there, but if you build using Nick's techniques, you'll require only one straight 2x4. These days I'd use MDF for the forms, which is now available at Home Depot pretty cheap as shelving material - Up to 18" deep.

As for books, Nick's book, available on this site probably tells you everything you need to know to build a strip built kayak, and it includes 3 free designs. When you add in the info in the archives here, every base is covered 6 times over.

I spent far more money testing out every little plane, chisel, saw, scraper, etc. that I thought I needed, but the cost of the materials is small indeed. Shucks, Target even sells outdoor spar varnish with UV protectors for $15 per gallon, $7/quart if you're on a budget!

Hope this helps, feel free to peruse my web site linked below.

Best Regards, Spidey