: Cost and ease of construction are my primary goals. At around $4.00 per
: stringer the conduit is hard to beat.

I can get a bunch of stringers out of a $15 2x10

: Also there is no sanding or shapeing
: necessary.

Ripping stringers from a plank is so easy that even I can do it.

: 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.

Plank $15
Oak for ribs $20 / or plywood for frames $15
#10 duck Canvas $30-60 (depends on length of boat and local price of canvas)

: 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.

Ha ha! Good luck!

: 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.

Steel is strong, heavy, and depending on temper and alloy ranges from very stiff to very bendable. It CAN be very flexible and resilient (think springs) but it would be quite a trick to create a kayak frame from spring steel, and it definitely wouldn't be cheap!

On the other hand, as others have said, I'd love to hear about an experiment using conduit. I just hope that if you pursue it and find that it isn't what you hoped that it won't turn you away from pursuing this bizarre obsession that this support group helps nurture...

cheers,
Travis