Welding aluminum is much more difficult than steel. Unless you can do it you will need to pay an expert welder. Welding aluminum of the thickness you would need is very difficult; your welder will charge you more.

The thickness of material you would require to make weight will be so thin that the boat will fold in the cockpit area. Of course you could add stiffeners, but your weight now goes up.

You might want to check out Tom Yost's site and perhaps build an aluminum frame SOF (skin on frame). You can even build it as a folder. Or use wood for your frame. This would be my choice as it would be much easier for me. These can be built in short time and at little expense compared to other methods of construction.

And there's the rub; decisions, decisions, decisions.

~Bob

: Hi there, as I always suffer deeply when launching and scratching
: my kayak I started wondering wether an aluminium S&G would be
: possible? Volume to weight ratio depending on thickness? Does
: anybody have come across this question? Regards and happy
: paddling from Bonn germany.