Boat building

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M

McRabbet

White Oak was used in building many of the large vessels when wood was first growth timber and plentiful near the coast -- many New England whaling ships were literally built on the shoreline next to the woods where the timber had been harvested.

Small boat builders use clear Eastern cedar for lapstrake, carvel or clinker-built hulls -- it is easy to work, is light in weight, and is rot-resistant. White Oak is often used for the ribs, bulkhead members and/or keel. Here is a site that is restoring a classic Herreshoff racing yacht. And another that specializes in small wooden boats.

(I took a class in small boat building many years ago from John Gardner, a classic small boat builder at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut and learned hands-on from this master. I'd love to build a classic dinghy or rowing boat one day...)

Rob
 

mac martin

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mac
I agree with Rob. I grew up around a "ole boat shop" in central florida. where they used cypress. muatly the old fashion 12-16 ft. flat bottom fishing kind. The sides usually were single plank of the 16-20 in. width and full length. made springing the sides much smoothier.
A trick for the bottom planking was to hammer\compress the edges with a concave iron, then plane the edges smooth. After the planking was placed, butted togather, with no caulking, it was nailed off and the ends cut smooth with the sides. Chines were attached and the boat was run-off into the lake to "swell". They never rotted or leaked. Dry they weren't "too" heavy, but bor after they got wet. My oncle used to toll the lake wiith a little 3-hp evenrude - caught my first bass in that boat.

Just a little food for thought. Not knowing what style of boat you are planning, info might, or moght not help.
Best with the boats.
Mac:-D
 
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