Wooden boat building is different from any other form of woodworking. It requires curves and angles rarely found in furniture and house construction. Boats are structures that move. Because a boat spends much of its life in water, the wood used to build it must have certain properties that give it sufficient strength, make it resistant to rot, and provide resiliency when used in conjunction with fastenings, adhesives, and day-to-day use. So, as you begin to look at boatbuilding wood, there are certain things you’ll need to know.
In this issue of Getting Started, we’ll examine important characteristics of wood, look at some of the wood species and plywood types used in boatbuilding, and give you some pointers on how to create a stock list. This article is limited to wood selection, so you won’t see processes such as milling, machining, or working wood covered here. This overview, we hope, will help you select the best material for your project and help you to get the most out of every board foot.
