: Any one know of marine plywood suppliers in the midwest, if there is such a
: thing? The shipping is the killer!

Where in the midwest are you?

You can get marine plywood in Chicago. Or, your local dealer can order it from a wholesaler like Aetna Plywood, which has distribution centers in Maywood IL (15 miles west of Chicago), Rockford IL, and in Indiana they are in Indianapolis and Jeffersonville. If you are reasonably close to those locations you can probably save on shipping.

http://www.aetnaplywood.com/default.asp

Also in chicago is Wood World.

Their web site lists three addresses, but they have consolidated at the Elston Ave. address.

http://www.woodworld.com/map_chicago.html

Depending on the style of boat you are building you might not even need marine grade plywood. Many designs call for the plywood to be covered with fiberglass and/or epoxy resin. Such a coating makes the wood impervious to water, so almost any plywood will do. A lot of people are using very inexpensive lauan, which has a very durable exterior glue. While it is commonly sold as a floor underlayment, it finishes beautifully and it is readily available at most Home Depots, Lowes, et.

What design did you have in mind?

Hope this helps

PGJ