: I've seen a few references here to 1/8" strips. If some of you have used
: 1/8" strips on a boat can you share your exzperience and results? I'm
: considering it. Thanks---Glen

The whole idea is that a thinner strips will weigh less than a thicker strip. For the reason of simplicity people will cite the fact that a 1/8th inch strip weighs half as much as a 1/4 inch strip. but that doesn't mean that your choice is limited to JUST 1/8th inch strips if you want a lighter boat.

There is no reason to think that strips must be some exact fraction of an inch in thickness. Just keep them all the SAME thickness and you can make them 9/64ths, or 5/32nds, or some decimal fraction like 0.135. Or make them in a metric size like 3 mm, 3.5 mm, or 4 mm.

Make a couple of strips in various thicknesses from a scrap and just bend them in your hands to see if they feel TOO flexible -- or too stiff. This is hardly a scientific way to do things, but if you are not comfortable with using a very thin piece of wood, then use a thicker one, and you'll just have a slightly heavier, but very pretty, boat. There are worse things in the world.

There are a lot of designs for kayaks (and canoes) which are built from 3mm plywood, and that is a bit thinner than 1/8th inch, so boats made from thin wood are definitely out there, and apparently serving well.

Hope this helps

PGJ