When dealing with solid wood, it is typically (always?) steamed. While you can use a single, relatively thick (3/8" to 1/2") piece, most will use two thinner (~1/4") layers (sometimes more) glued together after they have dried out post-steam.

For the last kayak, I laminated thinner strips of solid wood to build a coaming (see below) and other than being a large mess during glue up, it worked well enough. Steaming them prior to glue up would have made things a lot easier. I used short enough pieces (the reason for doing it in thin strips) that I probably could have boiled them without too much trouble, but hindsight is 20/20...

The lip is usually separate, although I recall seeing a photo or drawing of an Inuit coaming that was carved into the proper cross section with integral lip prior to bending; this seems like it might introduce unnecessary difficulty into the bending process, though. I have glued the lip on, but in the future I'll likely use ring shank nails or screws.

I've also made coamings from plywood, and while quite a bit easier to do (especially with a CNC router!) I much prefer the solid wood variety.

: I've seen a few people do the pai all in once piece, instead of multiple
: layers of plywood like the Yost instructions do it. And looking at some
: old drawings I have, that's how they did it too. Does anyone have a link
: to instructions on how to make one? I've already used the plywood for the
: coaming, but it'd be good to know for the next one. And I can't seem to
: find any instructions out there on my own, just by wacking away with
: google.

: Thanks!