: . . . However, is there any alternative material that can provide plastic
: like durability and yet be easy to work like wood? I am interested for
: future boat projects, particularly for hull panels on kayaks or a river
: dory.

Alternative that works like plastic but looks like wood? Sure. Add more plastic and glass cloth to your boat. If you covered the hull with 4 ounce fabric and it dings too easily, go ahead and put on another layer of 4 ounce fabric. If you just sealed the seams with fiberglass tape, then sheathe the entire hull with fiberglass cloth and epoxy resin.

The glass fabric serves as a thickness gauge for the plastic coating of epoxy resin that you apply. The heavier weights of glass cloth are generally thicker, so as you put on a thicker coat of the resin just to cover the texture of the woven glass fibers (or kill the weave, as they say).

Structurally you don't need this much fiberglass. The wood construction alone should be strong enough to hold together for many decades, the additional layer(s) of glass and resin will add weight and ding resistance.

You might consider a compromise on the added weight by only adding glass and resin only to those areas that get the dings. for example, the underside of the hull is one obvious place. The spot where the hull rubs up against the dock during launching is another.

Hope this helps

Paul G. Jacobson