Hi Rick,

Ipe is a very hard wood and can be used for a high wear area like the gunnal outer edge. Rip it down into a strip about 1/8 to 3/16 and bond that to the very outer edge of your outer gunnal. Maybe use some Ash for the main part of the gunnal with the Ipe cap or outer surface. The detail and contrast would look good and the hard Ipe would wear very well over time.

A strip would bend much better than a solid Ipe gunnal. Bonding should be no problem if both mating surfaces are rough and well saturated with epoxy before bonding with thickened epoxy. Also don't over tighten the clamps and leave the glue join starving for epoxy.

I have done the same with Mahogany over a Cypress gunnal looked good and holds up well to the wear and tear that a gunnal will get over time.

Clayton Plunkett