What wood species

[reeljob]

I'm planning on using genuine mahogany for much of the wood in a 20' SImmons skiff. I'm considering using white oak for the gunnels and other parts that aren't really epoxied (white oak doesn't epoxy well, so i've heard). What about using spanish cedar in lieu of some of the mahogany to offset the cost of the mahogany (its lighter too)? Any other woods I should consider using?

Thanks

[ssor]

If you check with local sawyers you may be able to get Juniper otherwise known as atlantic white cedar. They also grow some bald cypress in southeastern Va.

[pipefitter]

I used all mahogany for the floors and used D-fir for all the frames/raised deck framing. If I would have known how little the difference the cost of just using mahogany throughout would have made,being I took a year and a half longer(I would have been able to fit the extra mahogany cost well in the budget in that time) to build than I planned on.It would have been nicer to have it throughout.In a race boat,the ounces you shave here and there matters but The few extra lbs isn't going to make that much difference in a 20ft Simmons.It may even help, unless you plan on being a little anemic on the horsepower side of things. When it all came down to it,there ended up not being a budget and I threw money at it until it was done.You'll end up just wanting what you want for it anyways.I found it more work to make the fir paint friendly anyways compared to the mahogany.Cedar I don't know about but I did consider old growth heart cypress which is more expensive than the mahogany.

[reeljob]

I'll probably stick with the GM for most everything and WO for gunwales, etc. SOmeone mentioned using atlantic white cedar at a boat show recently, I asked if I could get it today at the lumber yard, nd they said they could get Spanish cedar. Isn;t that the cedar closet kind of cedar? I know they make humidors out of it.

[Bayboat]

Spanish cedar (Cedrela mexicana) s a tropical wood, very different from Atlantic white cedar or other "cedars" that grow in the U.S. Spanish cedar is a good planking wood, lighter and cheaper than Honduras mahogany and durable. It takes fastenings and finishes well. "Closet cedar" is the aromatic one, not very good for boat building.

[reeljob]

What about using white ash? Someone mentioned using that- hadn;t heard about that being used in boats much. ALso what about using utile (an african mahogany i think) in place of using the honduras stuff? It would be more economical, and by looking at it, it looks pretty nice.

[Chan]

It's a 20' skiff ,stick with the mahogany, I wouldn't waste the money on white oak either unless it's readily available in your area.
Ash is used quite a bit for oars and axe handles,

[reeljob]

THe white oak is very cheap compared to the mahogany, I would use it except i've heard that epoxy and WO don't work well together at all.

[denis,qc]

I would not use white ash, unless you use it where it won`t always be surrounded by humidity, it`s really not rot resistant.
White oak: good choice but may have problems with epoxie
utile,khaya:good wood from africa not as good in boatbuilding as hondura but twice less expensive around here.
I`ve choosen khaya for my runabout and gonna make a test soon with sapele, another so-called mahog.

[reeljob]

I'm getting quotes for white ash and african mahogany (i think its khaya). I don;t think i'll go with the ash though. What about using sapele? I've got some sapele ply, but I think that might be a lumber option. Is spanish cedar very similar to gen. mahogany?