: According to the data I could find on the web, WRC weighs ~19#/Ft3. Honduran
: Mahogany weighs ~30-52#/Ft3. When checking out mahogany for a project, I
: did notice that there was considerable variation in weight. It looks like
: no matter how you slice it, a mahogany boat is probably going to weigh
: quite a bit more than a cedar boat, perhaps as much as double.

: You might want to consider a smaller boat, or at least build one of the lower
: volume versions of the Night Heron. It's a nice boat, but the standard
: version is designed to accommodate someone Nick's size. It sits high in
: the water and will be even moreso for someone of your weight.

: Mahogany is quite stiff, so it would probably be difficult to get it to bend
: and twist to the curves in the NH. Using thin, narrow strips would help.

: I also wonder if it will take staples without splitting.

: I tried to steam bend a mahogany coaming rim for an SOF (It would've looked
: sweet with an ash rim!), but had little success. It will steam bend to
: some degree, but nothing like oak or ash will. Again, thin, narrow strips
: will help.

Thanks for the info Brian,

I did consider the lower volume version of the night heron, but I was looking for something that I could easily take on overnight or weekend trips. I though an Expedition Single would have been too big, and I prefer the look of the night heron over the Guillemot Single.

My thought is that with 3/16" mahogany (I spelled it correctly this time) the extra weight could help me, assuming it doesn't come out weighing as much as a double. I also think it would make a beautiful boat. Has anyone built a kayak with mahogany or has it been avoided for these very reasons?

nick