METAL FRAME & SKIN
If I was to build a boat in which to traverse oceans, I never seriously considered any other material than steel. It excelled in strength and could be built outside in my triangular backyard. Shelter of some sort would have been considerable extra expense. I found I liked metalwork.
For the extra strength and the reduced buckling due to welding, I choose the heavier plating option in the plans. It was a good choice given that the hull would be built outdoors.
Full framing makes the boat heavier but stronger. I have seen photos of boats with plating displaying significant indentation after sailing to windward in the Southern Ocean. Horror stories of boats falling off waves in a violent storm make me comfortable with the decision to go "full frame". There are designers offering steel boats with less framing, therefore lighter - but are they as strong?