Building a Boat, I have a couple q's

[metalman]

Hi, I am going to be building a 10' boat that breaks down into 3 sections. I am planning it out right now and I know my way around all the tools no problem but I want to know about materials.

I am planning on making a 1x2 skeleton and covering it in 1/2'' plywood


I have two choices with the 1x2 Oak or Aspen. The wood will be sealed with 2 coats of polyurethane or 1 of epoxy and painted (silicon caulked and fiberglassed seals too)

What are the pro's and cons of each? Wood and sealants.

 

[oldnamvet]

Do you really need 1/2" plywood? I have built boats using 1/4" marine plywood and with a skeleton to help hold shape, they were very strong. But then, they were all one piece so that may make a difference. For a finish, I would suggest using fiberglass and the WEST (wet epoxy saturation technique) system. A coat of marine varnish (or paint) over that completes it. The epoxy can also be thickened to fill in any gaps or to reinforce seams. If you google WEST epoxy systems you should find out all you need to know about it.
As to wood, I would always go with white (not red) oak. That is what the pro's use when restoring old wood boats from the 30s.