: I've seen Joe's walnut King in person, and it's a honey. With
: hardwood you can probably get away with thinner strips and thus
: mitigate the weight issue. Nick's Night Heron that's in the
: Museum of Modern Art is dyed WRC. I'd ask him. Searching for
: threads on this board should also work, as it's a topic that's
: been discussed at some length in the past.

Most here know this story: The "Nereida" Njord I built for my Spanish customer was 100% hardwoods: 80% Honduran mahogany, 10% black walnut and the remainder curly maple and black cherry. It's just over 18 feet long and about 20" wide. Even with 3/16" thick strips and a 4oz glassing schedule (in and out, extra lamination on the bottom and cockpit floor) it came in at 43 pounds. 8 pounds more than "normal" but then again it's the same as my first Guillemot: 1/4" strips and 6oz glass. Hardwoods are definitely tougher to work with. The results speak for themselves.

Dan

http://clearstreamwood.com/WordPress/portfolio/kayaks/2008-nereida-njord-spain