: Rob -
: Great reprise of your hot glue techniques. Thanks.
: As far as 3/16" wood strips are concerned...do you know how the weight
: of clear pine or fir compares to northern white cedar? I've got access to
: some long lengths of clear fir or pine and wondered about the weight
: before I get it and start milling the strips. If it's much heavier, I
: might pass on using it.
: Thanks - Jim

I've used pine before and found it added a couple pounds to a kayak. I've not used
fir because every piece I've handled was much heavier than cedar. I've used northern
white spruce which is 2 X lumber here in the northeast. If I look through the 2 X 10's and !2's
which are cut from larger trees I can sometimes find a 3 - 4" clear section on a 18' board.

However the northern white spruce is also heavier the northern white cedar. I've used
Atlantic white cedar which is very similar to NWC and would, I assume, be more available
in the central Atlantic coast area.

For me, weight is a primary factor in my building choices, so every material, building technique
and every part of my boat designs, have to be considered for added weight. In it self, a couple pounds
of extra weight for pine or fur may not seem like much, but I find if I don't stay focused on weight reduction,
a pound here, a pound there, adds up quickly.

As I get older I find I really notice every pound on the boat. I enjoy the benefits of a light-weight boat every
single time I go paddling. I've been building boats using 3/16" strips for a dozen years and standard 6 oz glass
lay-ups. I've never have any strength/durability problems, in fact I've been impressed at how strong the boats are.

The low boat weight is worth it to me in lifting and carrying but most importantly in how responsive
and easy it is to paddle a light-weight boat.

I believe it is really worth it to use northern white cedar if a all possible. If you do you'll see what I mean.
The light-weight, color, grain, workability, flexibility and heat/steam bending properties explain why it
has been the wood of choice of canoe builders for hundreds of years.

All the best,
Rob