Never heard about black walnut being bad luck but even if you don't use it
on a boat be sure to saw and dry it carefully. I dried about 500 bd ft for
a friend last spring and kept a few pieces for my fee. The slow growing
natural trees have a much prettier grain than the cultivated wood you find
on the market.

Just about everything but the leaves and twigs was used from that tree. I am
not a turner so was only interested in the bole wood but the local turners
and carvers lined up for the limbs and crotches.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

"sailorfej" wrote in message
ps.com...
I have a large black walnut tree I am getting ready to have removed
from my yard. I already have a solar kiln I use for drying wood for my
boat projects and I have been considering lumbering it for use in boat
building, the wood itself seems like it would be great for boat
building. But after googling for black walnut and boat building, I
found a excerpt from "Folklore and the Sea" by Horace Beck, which
describes black walnut as being horribly bad luck to have on or in a
boat.

On the other hand I also found an article which states the Red Jacket
(a very successful and well found clipper ship) had her aft cabin
finished in Black Walnut.

Can anyone provide some feedback on black walnut's suitibility as a
boat building wood.

and please no flames for my superstitiousness, I don't normally
consider myself a supertitious person, but I have spent enough time at
sea on traditionally rigged sailing ships, and an especially memorable
cruise under a very old and experienced maine schooner captain, that I
have learned to take these things seriously where boats are concerned.

Thanks