: Just a thought, although it may be considered heresy. Have you thought of
: doubling the strips on the football? This way you will have a 1/4 inch
: (before sanding) layer the length of the hull which should add
: considerably to stiffness and strength.

I think in a very light boat, you'd also need to consider the potential
risks of oil canning, where the weakness is around the cockpit, so that
in the trough of a wave, or when caught between two rocks, the bow and
stern bend upwards, causing the cockpit to flare out, and trapping the
paddler's legs. You'd need to add stiffness and strength in compression
along the sides of the cockpit (the cockpit coaming and shape of the
recess will add some, of course) to avoid this form of potentially fatal
failure if you plan to use the boat in halfway interesting conditions ...

Andy