aspen as boat building wood

Hello,

I would like to hear if anyone has heard of use of aspen in boatbuilding. It seems reather light - pretty strong for its density and plentiful in Finland where I am from and where I will end up.
I know it dulls tools pretty bad - people say that it sucks up sand - I gues it idoes have high mineral content or something.
I was thinking of finding a use for it mire like a core material then surface. Coldmolding maybe 3-4 layers and using aspen in the midle - how does taht sound. I doubt that its very rot resistant - back home its used iin sauna seating as it insulates pretty well. At least in that wet/hot environment it seems to hold pretty well - bare wood that is.


numbers:
a) Density, g/cc b) Density, lbs/cu.ft. c) Modulus of rupture, air dry kg/sq.mm. d) Modulus of elasticity, air dry,


Aspen Populus tremuloides
a) 0.401 b) 25.03 c) 6.04 d) 838.

compare with cedar for example:
Cedar, eastern red Juniperus virginiana
a) 0.492 b) 30.72 c) 6.07 d) 612
Cedar, northern white Thuja occidentalis
a) 0.315 b) 19.67 c) 4.56 d) 568
Cedar, southern white Chamaecyparis thvoides
a) 0.352 b) 21.98 c) 4.77 d) 655



more from http://www.genetrade.net/main/specinfo/aspen.html

"Natural Durability
The heartwood is reported to have very little natural resistance to decay in contact with the ground. Standing trees and logs are vulnerable to attack by forest longhorn beetles, and trees may be attacked by wood-boring caterpillars. The sapwood is reported to be seldom attacked by powder-post beetles.

Blunting Effect
The wood is reported to dull cutting edges slightly.

Cutting Resistance
Saws tend to bind occasionally during conversion, but cross-cutting and narrow bandsawing operations are reported to be satisfactory.

Planing
Aspen tends to be woolly and requires very sharp and thin cutting angles for best results in planing and other machining operations. Cutters with reduced sharpness angle have also been recommended.

Gluing
Gluing qualities are reported to be very good.

Steam Bending
Aspen is reported to be unsuitable for solid bending since it tends to buckle severely on the concave face. Strapping and end-pressure devices are reported to do very little to improve bending properties."

The last one seems to pose a problem the rest seems pretty good.

 

Might work well above the water line.

 

Forest Service Handbook

Take a look at:
http://www.boatdesign.net/wiki/MaterialsForBoatbuilding#Woods_suitable_for_Boat_Construction

Nothing specific to Aspen right there, but the US Forest Service Wood Handbook which is linked there will have info...