Help! first boat build

[Simon Van]

I have a few questions for my first build:

- The plans call for mahogany ply over sawn spruce frames, when I goto the lumber store they call their construction framing spruce but it is stamped SPF (Spruce, pine, fir I think) is this a suitable building material?
- if not what would a good substitute for spruce be?
- does anyone know where in southern Ontario Canada I can find the right material?

Thank you for your help

Simon

[David Gendron]

What kind of boat are you building? I'm not sure what would be suitable for the lumbers part of the boat, are the parts("spruce") to be steem bent or just shaped? I think if you could put your hand on some sitka spruce or southern yellow pine it would be great. an other wood that work good and it's cheep and fairly light, is White Birch(paper birch).
It use to be quite the norme in term of wood for Canoes and freighter canoes back east, just think birch bark canoes!
Good luck

[Simon Van]

THanks, there is not too much bending at all steam or otherwise. It's an old three point hydro plane plan I found, nothing too fancy I just wanted to try my hand and see what building a boat will be like. I didn't think S.P.F. is a good boat building material but the plans call for spruce frames so I thought I would put it out to the experts here. I'll include a picture.
thanks
Simon

[Chris Damm]

Look for sitka spruce. It's light and strong and what is usually used on a project like that. I built a boat like that (only smaller) over 50 years ago with my father. It was lots of fun and really flew with a small motor. Have fun!

[Mac McQuinn]

I would be hesitant to use Spruce as while it's strong and bends easily, it's not very rot resistant at all. Perhaps if you encapsulate it in epoxy you could make do. I have a boat-load of old growth Sitka Spruce and only use it for gunnels, masts, or something high above the water line that stays relatively dry. You could pick up a basic boat building book that gives pros & cons of different woods with weights & tensile strengths. I personally like Douglas fir in clear select form. Medium weight,very tough, holds a screw well and glues up nicely. Some of your better wood suppliers carry it in long lengths. Smells great going through the bandsaw!

Good luck and keep us posted,

Mac

[Graham Wilson]

There are a variety of wood shops in the GTA that would likely be able to help you. Best stay away from the box-stores which are geared to home reno projects.

A&M (Cambridge)
Exotic-Woods (Burlington)
Monaghan Lumber (Peterborough)

You may also be able to get some sources from the builders listed on the Antique and Classic Boat Society (Toronto) page.

[Simon Van]

Thank you all very much, great information. Anyone ever use Yellow poplar? it is a lot less expensive then fir, white oak, etc.. ? but less rot resistant? Looks like i'll need to find a good book about this.


Thanks again

Simon

[David Gendron]

Poplar would be a no no in my book, but again I'm not a pro in any thing!

[Robert Parrish]

I used white oak for the frame of a 19' sailboat I built years ago. I covered it with Bruynzeel mahogany plywood. White oak is strong and fairly rot resistant.

[russell lusthaus]

Just thinking about using poplar in a boat makes the stuff rot.

A good substitute for spruce, weight and strength wise, would be cedar. Western red or atlantic white. And Cedar is rot resisitant, which of course makes it more expensive.

Traditional carvel boats are made oak palnking (white) over cedar framing.