Gals,

When I was in University there was an annual Raft race with craft similar to what you are describing. One year these smart*ss engineers (no offense, mick et al,I'm a biologist) came up with a design that was a pair of pontoons made of 8" black pvc pipe about 12' long pulled together and up at the ends. The pontoons were spread wide enough to accomodate seats for rowers, and provide adequate(sp?) stability. Talk about kickin' butt! They were cheering at the finish line before the ehco of the starting pistol died out.
This is a design idea worth thinking about. Good luck!

Ken

: What diameter pipe do you have available, and what legnths? If you can get
: your hands on some 8" or 10" pipe in any quanity you are in
: great shape. Or you can get a bunch of 1"-4" pipe and bundle it
: togeather with strapping tape to form your main hull and amas Im off on
: this train of thought because I once saw a really fast looking catamaran
: made out of two legnths of what looked like 10" sewer pipe about 20'
: long on top of a car It was rigged for rowing.
: Good Luck, Cheat, Hide a sail on board.
: Bob