In my last column, responding to questions from Alec Brainerd of Artisan Boatworks in Rockport, Maine, I compared the properties of American mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) with some alternative woods, namely African mahoganies, sapele, sapo, and the lauans (also known collectively as Philippine mahogany). Alec also asked, “How exactly can one identify true mahogany so as not to be confused with Philippine or other species?” This is a tougher question, but one I addressed in 1983 (WB No. 55). With some modifications, I will repeat the information in that column here. In addition to the above woods, I am adding Spanish cedar (Cedrela odorata), a Latin American wood that resembles mahogany and is often used by boatbuilders.
Also, I need to add a correction. In my previous column I interpreted the wood that Alec called “sepo” as “sapo.” Upon reflection, sepo is much more likely “sipo”; both would be pronounced the same. Sipo is Entandrophragma utile , and its more common trade name is utile. My faulty interpretation points out the serious flaws in using common names for woods.