On Tue, 3 Nov 2009 17:33:12 -0700, "SteveB"
wrote:

Questions: Can I steam and bend a piece of cut plywood to go across the bow
portion of my boat, or will the steaming cause delaminating? A flat piece
won't do, and if I just torque it down, I think it will split. Total
surface area, about two square feet. 3/4" thick high grade plywood, but not
marine.

Gene and Froggie gave you the answer firstest. Thin laminations and
exposy. They build boats this way - big deal 20 years ago - called
cold molding first termed by the Gougeon brothers. West System. I
know a guy who built a catamaran using the technique - it's an amazing
craft.

They are into making inexpensive carbon fiber turbine blades these
days.

That's the best way to do it - in partcular if it's a compound curve.
Steaming isn't hard to do - basically a large PVC pipe, a heat source
for producing steam and a way to prevent pressure build up, but it is
a PITA.