: Cost and ease of construction are my primary goals.

Hi !

Wooden broomsticks I've seen for about 1,5 $. Some are scarfed, some not.
They're about 1,5 meter long each, and quite large. Stations can be made of unused lengths, or of plywood.
Could be connected thru brass tubes (could be taken apart then) to make 450 cm long stringers.
You need 5 stringers (keelson, chines, gunnels) or 6 for a peaked deck -less necessary on flat water.
Thick brass fittings to connect stringers to stations ? Or steel (they'll rust in time, but you'll replace those off-the-shelf items for a few cents) straight or L-fittings.
Duck canvas covering. The skin will come more nicely over rounded stringers, and no sanding them. Latex paint.
Or you may consider a mixed design with broomsticks as gunnels and keelson only, the rest from smaller square stock (fir, spruce, etc).
No good broom coaming possible. See ply or small moldings. Flat or laminated coaming.

Witch Doc

At around $4.00 per
: stringer the conduit is hard to beat. Also there is no sanding or shapeing
: necessary. I can scrounge most of the remainder of the material. I do plan
: to skin it with canvas. The exterior paint I can find in my own garage. Im
: not sure I can keep it under $50 but certainly under $100. I am just
: getting interested in kayaking and I dont want to sink tons of time or
: money in something I might not stick with.

: snip

: I am not overly concern with the corrosion aspect. This boat will in all
: likelyhood never see saltwater. There is quite an extensive inland lake
: system in my neck of the woods and that is where I plan to use it.
: Besides, by the time it starts to rust enough to matter I will have moved
: on to a better boat or given up the whole sport.

: I am concerned with Nick's comment about the conduit not being flexable
: enough. I have seen this question asked before, but just what is the upper
: and lower limits on flexability? Even anadotal evidence would help here.

: Thanks,

: John