Tim,

I built the kayak below out of cheap mahogany plywood ($9.98/sheet). Total cost for it was $140. It was not specified as exterior plywood and it is holding up great. It is stored outside, under the eaves and out of the sun, in the wet pacific northwest.

Epoxy saturation will keep water out for the most part, if the kayak is not stored IN the water. Most kayaks are taken out of the water and get a chance to dry out, before penetration takes place. You will also be coating with varnish, which should aid the waterproofing. Just don't boil your kayak.

Be careful about the wood you use. I used 1/8" 3 ply sheets. The ply's were close to equal thickness, and were devoid of voids. Voids can cause problems in bending or make a spot prone to damage. Even thickness ply's make bending and sanding easier.

Have fun, ya' can't build just one!

Mike

: I need some advice, or clarification, on the suitibility of luan plywood for
: stitch and glue building. All that is available to me and my limited
: budget is luan ply. It's not specified as exterior, but other people have
: told me that most ply uses exterior glue. So, my question is this: if it's
: sheathed in glass and epoxy, does it matter if the ply is glued exterior
: or interior? I've seen conflicting information on whether or not epoxy
: saturation of wood keeps water out; and also whether or not glass and
: epoxy sheathing keeps moisture out. It seems to me that if people strip
: build with elmers glue, then epoxy and glass must keep out the moisture. I
: just don't know what to think. At $10 per sheet, I'd like to just use the
: luan. Also, I built a double paddle with interior birch ply, then
: encapsulated it in epoxy and varnish, and have had no problems yet.
: However, my boiling test on a sample of this birch ply revealed rapid glue
: failure--as compared to my sample boil of AC exterior, which did not fail.
: Any information clearing this up for me would be greatly appreciated, as
: I'm itching to bust out a few canoes and kayaks.