Hi Paul,
thanks for the tips - here are my thoughts:
the panels will be no problem, I need one sheet for the bottom and one sheet for the sides and a single sheet for the deck, it all fits nicely. I will also buy one sheet 1/8 and 1/4 for all other pieces I need. The price difference between 1/8 and 1/4 does not concern me - it is the price difference between lauan and okomee that makes me go this way. I am only planning to glass the cockpit area on the inside - since the reinforcement strips go beyond the bulkheads both front and aft I should not have to tuck any glass. I want to use 1/8 on the sides and deck to save weight - the whole thing out of 1/4 seems a bit too heavy. I think I will buy a 2 gallon kit of epoxy - that should be more then enough for the extra glassing I will have to do.
I wellcome any additional information / thoughs I can get.
Thanks

: In my neighborhood there is little difference in price between nominal 1/4
: inch lauan (5.5mm) and 1/8th inch meranti (which is similar to lauan, and
: used for floor underlayments) In fact, sometimes sales on the more
: commonly available 1/4 inch material make it cheaper.

: If your budget is a big concern, do the whole boat with 1/4 inch lauan. it
: will be cheaper and faster to build.

: Your reinforcement strip on the sides is going to take at least an extra hour
: or two to cut and assemble. Then, you'll probably have to give up work for
: the night while the glue bonding that reinforcement strip to the main side
: panel sets up.

: Double check your cutting diagrams and see if any hull and deck pieces are to
: be cut from the same panel. Since you'll be using two different
: thicknesses you can't scarf scraps left over from cutting the hull onto
: panel for the deck -- or vice versa -- so you may have to buy an extra
: panel. Or maybe buy an extra panel of each size! Since the cutting
: diagrams do not include your reinforcement strip, you should make
: allowances for this, too when you plan on how many plywood panels to buy.

: If you use 1/4 inch for the deck, which probably has less bend to it than the
: hull, you may be able to get away without having to glass the inside of
: the deck. This eliminates the cost of the resin and glass cloth, as well
: as the time involved in doing the work. If ou are going to glass the
: inside of the deck, consider where in the building process you will do
: this task. If you glass the plywood before you apply the plywood you can
: do the work more easily -- it will be flat -- but you'll use a bit more
: materials. If you put the glass on after the deck is attached, then you'll
: be working in a dim, confined area.

: If you use 1/8th inch for the sides, will ou be covering the inside with
: fiberglass cloth and resin? If so, your costs will increase. In adition,
: you'll have to work to get your cloth to fit neatly over that 1/8th inch
: high reinforcement strip. Even if you fair the edges, of fill them with a
: fillet, the cloth going over the reinforcement strip is going to be a bit
: longer than the cloth going over the unreinforced area. Consider how you
: will make a nip or tuck in the cloth to get it to lay flat so you avoid
: wrinkles. Actually, a layer of fiberglass on the inside might be a better
: reinforcement for your 1/8th inch lauan than the strip of plywood.

: The downside, of course is that the 1/4 inch plywood is twice the thickness,
: and twice the weight of the 1/8th inch material. This could add a few
: pounds to your boat -- but the tradeoff is weight vs. dollars. It won't
: make your boat much heavier.

: Just a few thoughts.

: PGJ