Marine Grade Plywood

 Construction of the Redwing uses 1/2 inch plywood for most of it.  Boat building is done with "Marine" grade plywood which must meet Lloyd's of London specifications; primarily a single species of wood, no gaps, minimum repairs, and special glue.  Although marine grade comes in several varieties of wood, most small boat builders use "Okoume" wood (pronounced Oh-koo-meh).

It turns out prices vary not just widely, but extremely!!  A national chain store sells the 1/2 inch sheet for $239.  A Portland Oregon marine lumber store sell it for $185.  My local home-building lumber store, only a 1/2 mile away, actually carries it for $135.

A couple of weeks of internet browsing turned up specialty-wood lumber store in Albany Oregon (100 miles away) is selling it for just $72 a sheet.  Not only that, but their manufacturing source makes a 7-layer 1/2 inch, whereas my local store's 1/2 inch is 5-layer.

So, when I'm ready for plywood, it'll be a road trip towing a utility trailer borrowed from the brother-in-law.