: How does the strength of a strip-built (or stitch & glue) kayak compare
: to commercially available fiberglass kayaks?

Both are ( or should be) designed to be as strong as necessary to support their designed displacements under the stresses normally associated with their use. Commercial fiberglass boats could be made with thicker, and therefore stronger, walls, but that would increase the weight, and of course the cost, as more materials are being used. Similarly, you can add a few more layers of glass fabric, and more epoxy resin, to make a wood-cored boat tougher.

But why?

Klepper has been making soft-sided boats since 1907. That's 95 years. During that time their boats have been paddled across the Atlantic ocean, up to the magenetic north pole, and around Cape Horn in winter. (check their website http://www.klepper.com/index2.htm) Their hull skin materials are nowhere near as "strong" as fiberglass or wood, yet they are well proven to be extremely tough and durable.

If you can come up with tougher paddling conditions than these, then you'll probably need some very special equipment. If so, then a simple question of whether commercial solid fiberglass or home-built wood-cored fiberglass is "stronger" might give you factual information which would be irrelevant to your real needs.

In effect we would present you with a paradox where we give you the information you ask for, but not the information you need. And that would not really help you.

So, tell us more about your needs, and we may be able to scrape up some really useful information.

PGJ