: Has anyone built an S&G by just glass taping the seams and not glassing the
: entire boat? I know it would not be as strong, just curious as to whether
: it's been done.

: Bill

sure it's been done. It's all a function of your use. If you paint it you won't see the tiny cracks that open up and result in black staining of the wood. The plywood itself is made with waterproof glues so it can look mighty funky before anything comes apart.

For example if you make a typical four panel kayak with only tape on the seams you can turn it over and press between the seams hearing the wood crack. That doesn't mean it'll come apart but it's an indication that the wood is flexing and tiny fibers breaking. You can glass the exterior and interior of the cockpit, turn the hull over and press hard between the chine/keel seam and not hear any cracking, unless you go behind the aft bulkhead where there's no interior glass and you can hear the wood cracking.

If all the impacts your kayak gets is water and slight scraping on rocks you can get by with a very light kayak. If you build a s&g kayak to be as durable AND cosmetically durable with varnish as a fiberglass kayak that will land in the surf and get dragged over boats in rescues, something will give.

I'm with the suggestion to use 3.25oz fine weave glass as the weight added won't be any more than a few fill coats.