"Jim Conlin" wrote:
Perhaps I misunderstood the original question. Was it about plywood or
solid okoume?

It is solid okoumè.

I know cedar is better: lighter and more durable .
In Italy (I think so in all the Europe) western red cedar is 1,200 Euro x
cube meter (sorry, metric, but ratio is the same), much more expensive than
Okoumè.
Therefore, red cedar I found has high weight, similar to okoumè:
450kg/cu.meter (again, see the ratio).
Cedar should be1/5 less heavy on weight to be good.
For that I'm asking about.

Alternative could be Spruce, light as cedar but I think less durable than
okoumè.
In any case wood will be 'encapsulated' in coatings, as Ron says, as a core.
My doubts are on strength of these different woods.

Plywood-lapstrake could be a good solution, but I need a smooth round bilge
for a modern 19' racer.

What do You think about?

Ciao
Leo


Backyard Renegade wrote:

"Ron Magen" wrote:
However, plywood is the material for 'glued lapstrake' construction.

I did struggle with the post I made because of this and other
possibilities, that I why I said, "for strip building (as we know
it)".

As
Okoume is supposedly prone to rot, this would probably do the job if
it was
'encapsulated'. That is, epoxy, cloth, & finish on the outside with a
few
coats of a quality exterior primer and finish paint on the inside. Or
several coats of a UV Varnish . . . and keep them maintained.

I get lot's of guys who have me deliver S+T boats clear coated cause
the Okoume and Mahogany look so nice, I wonder how long they will stay
clear though;-)
Scotty


"Backyard Renegade" wrote:

Any kind of plywood is not good for strip building (as we know it).
The properties of the plywood make it difficult if not impossible to
bend the strips in such a manner as to follow the lines of a hull.
Scotty from SmallBoats.com