"William R. Watt" wrote in message
...
snipe

the old growth wood with the close rings would no longer be available?
snipe

There is old growth available, you just have to talk the guy that owns it
into selling it to you.. If you are building a real classic or Heritage
boat, you can sometimes get permission from the State Parks to take a wind
fall or few off their hands. (I know one park Ranger who is burning old
growth for home heat.) I know that there are giant ceder logs laying all
over the Olympic forest reserve. The Native American wood carvers get
permission all the time..

When I was building a boat in RI, back in the early '70s I wanted white oak
for the frames, etc... I just went off for a drive into the back country
over in Mass. Stop ever once in a while and listen for the sound of a chain
saw or saw mill.. Soon I found an old family operated saw mill.. I hung
around until they stopped for a break (repair something). Told the old man
that I wanted some oak for sawn frames of a traditional boat.. He said that
he was cutting white oak for a furnisher mfg and would be busy for the rest
of the winter.. However, since I mentioned that I really wanted seasoned
oak, he pointed me to a dozen stacks of ugly blackish lumber, half covered
with snow.. "Take a look over there. That was an order I sawed up years
ago and the fellow never came to get it." It was just what I was looking
for. 5/4 and thicker, rough sawn, random widths and lengths.. I paid $200
for a trailer load of this wood..

I know of a half dozen backyard saw mills around here in western WA. They
usually saw for half of the lumber and have stacks of nice wood, already air
dried.. The backyard sawmills tend to get the single or several logs from
small land owners who are just clearing a site for building, etc..

Bottom line, if your really want to build a fine traditional boat, the
lumber is available.. Just not at HD.


--
My opinion and experience. FWIW

Steve
s/v Good Intentions