Entire Boat with Sapele

Has anyone tried to build an entire boat with sapele wood?  Is this recommended?

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RE: Entire Boat with Sapele

Pygmy used to have the option on some of their kits of doing the entire boat with Sapele.  I've seen a few and they are beautiful.  The down side is that the Sapele plywood is a bit heavier (and more expensive), but it does make a beautiful boat. 

Here's a link to a photo of one:

http://www.seakayakermag.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1150&page=1

I also noticed in working with the Okume and Sapele panels on my Shearwater that the Sapele tended to warp a bit more (not an issue once you get it stitched together, but definitely need to stabilize the hatch covers by gluing to another piece of plywood) and was a bit harder to bevel, but it wasn't that big a deal.  

Kathy

RE: Entire Boat with Sapele

My daughter and I are currently building a S&G kayak with Sapele deck and Okouome hull. The Sapele is thinner, but noticably heavier than the Okouome. It is also a lot harder to cut, plane and sand, and twice the price. It looks great on a deck, but probably not worth the cost and effort on a hull that's mostly unseen. -Wes

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