The reasons for a white ash deck

[jshipchips]

I need to explain my reasoning for wanting a white ash deck.

The boat is an 18 foot, 1965 Lavey Craft circle race boat from California. This type of boat could be considered a “hot boat”. The engine is a 428 FE with about 470 hp and will run the boat at about 85mph. On a boat like this the deck is more for show then for walking, many boats of the same type paint mural on the deck. My father owned a 1963 Lavey that came from the factory with white ash decks. I am bringing the boat that I own back to original. The deck on my father’s boat lasted for over 20 years before needing to be redone. His deck had one layer of fiberglass mat and five layers of clear lacquer. These boats are kept in a shed year round and only in the sun on “play” days.

I hope this answers some of the questions to my odd application of white ash.

Thank You for the good info, please keep it coming.

I am going to laminate a sheet of white ash veneer to the gel-coated deck of this boat. I am looking for more ideas, information and experiences.

Jim

By the way I am a strange one, I love gaffrig schooners, and fast race boats with big smelly V8s. Thanks again for the help.

[Ken Hutchins]

Some don't like white ash, some of us do like it, treat it with respect for what it is and it will last a long time. There are a lot of wooden canoes built with white ash keels, stems, ribs, millions of blocks with white ash shells, millions of mast hoops have been made with white ash, thousands of dog sleds, 15 million model T Fords had white ash wheels. I know someone who has planked a boat with white ash ;) . There is a white ash log laying on the ground in a damp area on my land, it has been there 30 years and is still a round hard log, hasn't turned to mush yet.

[Mrleft8]

You live in New Hampster Ken.... It's probably frozen solid! ;)
My experience with White Ash veneer is fairly extensive. It likes to move a lot, wrinkles easily, and cracks if you look at it crosseyed.

[ishmael]

Using white ash in situations where it's open to the air, like in canoe framing, is different than gluing a thin veneer to a deck.

I'm not terribly hep on the idea. It isn't very resistant. When fresh water gets in, as it will, trapped by all that epoxy, ash will rot, quickly.

Spend the extra bucks and get some teak or mahogany for what you propose. And get up to speed on veneered decks so you do it well. There is a lot of information out there.

If it were me, I'd live with what you've got and forget the whole project. Just me.

[Dan Lindberg]

While often used in W/C canoes, it's still not a good wood for the use.

Most old stems have the tops rotted off and rails the ends. And as soon as there are dents/cracks in the varnish, the seat frames, rails, thwarts turn black.

The prefered woods for rails is spruce or mahogany in the old days plus maybe cherry now.

Dan

[dmede]

I know white ash rots easily (so does okume by the way) but in every boat building text I have and in all the plans for boats Ive bought, white ash is always mentioned as a good wood choice for certain parts of the boat. Both my canoes stated that I could use w.ash or w.oak for my stems & rails. additionally harry bryan says its ok to use it for the coaming, seat back-rest, stems, rails and a few other parts on his fiddlehead canoe.

So whats the deal?

[jshipchips]

OK guys I get it White Ash rots, money is not the problem, color is. What other woods can I use with fine or light grain, honey in color when resin is applied, will not rot and can be found in veneer sheets.

Thanks for the info

Jim

[Mrleft8]

Originally posted by jshipchips:
OK guys I get it White Ash rots, money is not the problem, color is. What other woods can I use with fine or light grain, honey in color when resin is applied, will not rot and can be found in veneer sheets.

Thanks for the info

JimWhite Oak.