Epoxy is your only real option if you want the boat last more than a couple of weeks.

Epoxy is the strongest.

Have used the norske brand,its all the same,west system and east. crc did one called resimax,bloody good fairing compound.   if you can build a 8 ft punt using epoxy and glass for under a grand reccon youve done well.

Thanks for replys fellas and advice.....i got some merantti marine ply today 2 9mm sheets and 2 6mm sheets...thats what hanuus plans said but now im wondering the 15ft 8 inch punt maybe bit big to throw onto trailer etc lol.... so im looking for some smaller plans maybe 13ft or i mite ask hanuu if i can shorten it somehow to 13ft if i find his email....im keen to get into alright cherz for your advice guys awesome

I’ll just say this last thing. I built a little dinghy last year and have a few learnings or regrets.

I built it heavy about 5kg more than I needed to. Still weighs 40kg including the dinghy wheels (5kg) and I can lift it out of the water up a ramp no worries. I don’t really regret this but if I was doing it again I’d shave off a couple of kilos easy. Most first time builders overbuild, and I have since learnt that the design weight for a plan tends not to include all the heavy things that people like to put in or on their boats. 

I picked the wrong plans. So I have a little displacement dinghy where for not much more I could have built a Jon boat twice the size. At the time I was thinking small outboard. But I could have bought a bigger one later. I’m stuck with the boat, until I build the next one. 

I could have spent a bit more time on finishing work. I regret this when l look at it in the garage. On the water I couldn’t care less.

I built it out of the best materials I could afford and exactly what the design specified. A lot of engineering goes into a good boat plan. That was a good choice. I have a lot of confidence in it.

I had a look at those plans. They would do the job. I have three bateau plans and they have a bit more detail, including options, fibreglassing scantlings and building notes. 

Very good advice from One Way Traffic.

I would go for the GF12/14 over the GV11 any day. The vee bottoms only advantage is for going smoothly through a chop. The GV will be more money and time to build (you need a jig to build a vee bottom and that costs extra and takes longer) all for a boat that will not do your main purpose as well (deeper draught, less initial stability) The GF14 can be built using the same number of sheets of ply as the GF12 if you are careful with it. 

Paul, the challenge of picking your design/plans.

Haven't built a boat but have made a few kayaks.  When you lay up the glass be pedantic with removing any excess epoxy.  When using epoxy less = more and the minimum amount of epoxy needed creates a stronger bond and lighter vessel.   You will probably have to pour on just as much to saturate the glass cloth but scrape off as much as possible afterwards (without turning it milky).