I heard that some Scandinavian builders built carvel boats with no gap
at all, just perfect seams, no glue, no caulking. Don't know details,
it's been a while since I looked into it. I believe they were sailing
vessels, 35' and more, they were built thus to provide more hull
stiffness, amoung other things, and they didn't seap/leak at all.

Sorry, can't recall how/where I found the info. But it means there's
more than one way to skin a cat...

Here's an interesting post I found while doing a quick search to see if
I could find any more info:
http://www.rtpnet.org/robroy/baidark.../Nov/0020.html

Search "no caulking" on this page:
http://www.mastmate.com/a-f.html

Another mention:
http://personal.riverusers.com/~emkay/building2.html

Well, I haven't found the references I wanted, but that's it for now.

Rufus


Jacques Mertens wrote:

Correct: hybrid solutions could cause problems.
I share your doubts about glued seams. There are some epoxies that are
sufficiently flexible but why take a chance?
Either build her as wooden boat or as a composite (fiberglassed boat).

--
Jacques
http://www.bateau.com

"Jim Conlin" wrote in message
...

However, if the planking cannot be fully encapsulated, meaning kept DRY,

then

i'd hesitate to fill seams with something firm like splines or epoxy

putty. If

the planking gets wet and tries to expand, something has to give. It

might be

frames or fastenings.
Only if the planking is of a species that doesn't swell much, might you

get away

with this.