Y'know, we dont just look at the boat... 17# is really good! Even if you double that with glass it's still really good! And not all of us have scales in the shop. I just pick the boat up and say "Dang... 40#... Gotta build another!"
Are you concerned at all about the added flexibility of 3mm vs 4mm on the hull?

: Lurking around this bulletin board for a while now, I've learned a lot from
: just listening, and I am amazed at the energy that goes into the dialogue
: here. So far I had not much to contribute. I have been quietly building a
: 16.5 foot Merganser. I purchased the plans from Shearwater Boats, and have
: been hooked ever since. The kayak will be used mostly in flat water
: conditions, such as my evening paddles on the Sudbury river in
: Massachusetts, so I opted for 3mm plywood, to save some weight. Thanks to
: my insanely tall ceiling, I was able to complete the end pours last
: weekend, despite tempratures in the low thirties. I'm hoping to start
: glassing the exterior next weekend. Thanks for all the good reading...

: Angela