The basic ingredient for making the hull is plywood. Several products are available which can be used. Birch aircraft plywood is available from hobby shops at about $15 per sheet for 1/16" thick pieces 12"x48" you will need 3 sheets for the 36" version and 4 for the 48" version. Also suitable but lower grade are Luan door skin plywood and Poplar plywood both available in 1/8" thicknesses from your local lumberyard

Another key ingredient in the construction of the is epoxy. Epoxy is a two part petro-chemical which, when mixed, cures or hardens by means of a chemical reaction. The reaction typically is accelerated by higher temperatures. There are many types of epoxy on the market for different applications. Epoxy which is ideal for boat building is clear, has a relatively low viscosity, and cures at room temperature. Several companies sell epoxy resins which are intended for boat building. There are some differences between them. The most readily available is from West System. This epoxy is mixed at a ratio of four units of resin to one unit of hardener. Most manufacturers sell metering pumps to simplify the measuring of the correct amounts of resin and hardener. Several other manufacturers sell epoxy which has a mix ratio of two units of resin to one unit of hardener. This second type of epoxy is a little easier to work with. It tends to be a bit more forgiving as to mix ratio, work room temperature and humidity and is slightly less hazardous to your health.

When working with epoxy it is necessary that you wear rubber gloves to prevent exposing your hands directly to the resin. Some people develop an allergic reaction to epoxy which can force them to abandon its use.

It is not required to wear a respirator when working with epoxy because epoxy has only very small amounts of volatile components which evaporate and can be hazardous to breath. When sanding wood or epoxied fiberglass, wear dust mask to prevent getting any sanding dust into your nose and lungs.

Manufacturers will print safety precautions on the product so read the label. U. S. law also requires that manufacturers of potentially hazardous materials publish a material safety data sheet (MSDS) for each product and make it available to the customer. You can find out more about the product you are using by contacting the manufacturer.

Fiberglass comes in a variety of forms. Cloth is sold on rolls or as cut lengths. It is classified by weight per square yard in ounces. For us the 4 ounce and 6 ounce weights are ideal. Fiberglass is available at most boating supply stores and auto body repair stores.

Another product which is needed is wood flour. This is simply a by-product of sanding. It is available where marine epoxies are sold. You can also collect it, your self, by saving the dust from the bag on your belt sander. You will need small amount of wood flour, but if you cannot find any, you can actually use baking flour as a substitute.

You will need five to ten pounds of lead for ballast for the keel. I have found lead tire-weights from cars to be a ready supply of lead, You can often find them along roads, or in parking lots. Increase your chances of finding them by looking around rough, busy roadways or where the plows have deposited winter snow in large parking lots. You can also visit tire shops and ask for some tire-weights. Another source is fishing weights, in fact some fisherman cast there own and purchase the lead.

Other materials include thin copper wire for "stitching" the panels together, some Strips of strong wood for the masts and booms, lightweight Nylon or Dacron cloth for sails and Nylon or Dacron string or braided fishing line for rigging. You will also need some brass materials for things like the rudder post and tube and mast hardware. Brass is available at your local hobby shop from K&S Engineering.