First Timer; What Wood to Use?

This is my first boat. It's a 14' drift boat of frame-free construction type from Ken Hankinson without all the hull frames. I just finished the jig to build it, and have been trying to decide on what wood to use for the stem, side rail braces, inner and outer chines, and shears. So far I'm leaning towards White Oak, but are there any other good alternatives that are pretty readily available and good to use? Can Maple be used? Thanks for your help.

Finman

 

I'd stay away from hard woods. The expand and contract to a greater degree than softwoods like Okoume, Meranti, and Luan. Greater risk of delamination.

Also, consider marine plywood rated at BS1088. Made with water proof glue and garunteed against having hidden voids.

 

If you're building a ply and epoxy boat, avoid white oak because it expands and contracts too much and it ultimately will cause the epoxy bond to crack and fail - at least that's what Karl Stambaugh says in his book on skiffs as well as many other sources. Douglas Fir is a good wood for frames, etc. Southern Yellow pine is supposed to be good too. The "classic" wood for such things is Honduras Mahogany.

 

wood choice

A ply drift boat calls for atlantic white cedar(juniper)if you can find it(Gates lumber company in North Carolina)The doug fir today splits too easily longitudally(green sawmill lumber would be better,properly dried)Mahogany would be the best, but it always is if you can find it where you are(Mcuen Lumber co. in High Point N.C.)Southern Yellow pine is good,depending on the source.And I don't care what anybody says, white oak(sealed in epoxy before installation)is my choice,I love the stuff!

 

My first thought is what do the plans call for? Have you called Glenn-L, ClarkCraft or Ken Hankinson Assoc. and a gotten input from the staff?

Typically frames ARE made of hardwood, white oak being a very good one and widely thought of and used through the boatbuilding industry.

I've just made up a set of 56 frame halves of white oak. Steam bent 1/4" thick laminations(1 1/8" total frame thickness), for a restoration I'm finishing up by the end of the month. It (laminating white oak) works fine, if you understand your chemistry, engineering and techniques.

The epoxy I use is reactive and it's solvent is Xylene. When gluing up some oily stock, I remove as much as I can with acetone. If I expect some difficulty I'll warm the piece and goos to about 125 degrees, then coat with Xylene. I follow this with unthickened epoxy, then thickened epoxy. The Xylene will draw the epoxy farther into the wood then just heating alone would. This only works on uncoated wood as the solvent has to have a place to flash off or vent out. Xylene doesn't flash like acetone so it needs an excape route to the enviroment.

I've had several conversations with the chemist at the epoxy manufacture and this is something he nor I have a problem with, though I'd check with your epoxy manufacture about this technique before you try it. I've run many tests for penetration and joint strength and this works. I use a custom filler mix (50/50 mix of micro fibers and colloidal silica) to add strength, penetration and wetout.

 

FYI McEwen will only provide marine plywood with a minimum order of I think $500. I wanted to use them but only need about 1/2 that. I'd be happy to go in on an order with anyone local to me. I need 5 sheets of 3/16" Okuome. Otherwise Harbor Sales in NY delivers free to commercial address in NC.

Where's Gates in NC?