Besides the Federal handbook, the Glen-L site has some good info on
wood. Go to http://www.glen-l.com and click on the "Boatbuilding
Woods" link on the left.

Contrary to popular opinion, red oak will work if continually
immersed. It is porous, so it holds water and will rot easily if
taken out of the water, but there are plenty of large boats with red
oak keels. White oak and locust are favored woods.

On Thu, 27 May 2004 21:29:29 GMT, "Jon" wrote:

The domestic woods around here are pine, ash, red
oak, black oak, white oak, walnut, hickory, elm and
locust. I can have any of these timbers sawn at area
sawmills and stack them for seasoning.

What are the most resistant woods to sea critters?
barnacles, worms and so forth.

I know that cherry and maple rot about as bad as pine,
but I don't know which kind of oak is best.

Can anyone tell me or point me to a site that rates
woods for salt water vessels?


- - -
http://www.messing-about.com
Resources for the Boat Builder, Renovator and Small Boat Skipper

Not all locust is the same.

*Black* locust is extraordinarily resistant to critters and rot.
I have never seen it available in plank length, or any other substantial
length.

Honey locust (much more widely available) is not particularly durable (the
technical term for rot resistance).


The two locusts are as far apart in qualities as red and white oak.
The only black locust I have ever seen used in boatbuilding is as trim, as
parts of blocks, and as cleats. It's nice stuff. Let me know if you find
a source for lengthy pieces (or find a way to make your own).

Chris Crandall ) wrote:

: Not all locust is the same.

: *Black* locust is extraordinarily resistant to critters and rot.
: Honey locust (much more widely available) is not particularly durable (the
: technical term for rot resistance).

: The two locusts are as far apart in qualities as red and white oak.

I checked--they're not even the same genus; they're no more similar than
western hemlock and douglas fir.

Chris Crandall wrote:
Not all locust is the same.

*Black* locust is extraordinarily resistant to critters and rot.
I have never seen it available in plank length, or any other substantial
length.

My girlfriend's house sits in a grove of black locust trees. The
problems with making lumber from them are that they don't grow
especially large in diameter and they rarely grow straight for more than
a few feet. For the most part, they're very twisted, gnarled looking
trees, though they do grow quite tall.

Chris Crandall wrote:
Not all locust is the same.

*Black* locust is extraordinarily resistant to critters and rot.
I have never seen it available in plank length, or any other substantial
length. BRBR

I have a bunch of locust on family property in the Catskills of NY. But for
the life of me, I can't seem to figure out from what I have researched on the
web if they are Black locust or honey locust. Even the discriptions on some
sights seem contradictory.
Especially when "ship mast" locust is mentioned as a type of black locust. My
trees are relatively stright for about 20 feet before they branch out, and have
small thorns. (some sites seem to say Black L. is small thorned and Honey is
really large thorned. I would really like to know which one I have. Is there
a sure fire way of identifying them? I know they once were poached for fence
posts and some that have come down that I cut up for fire wood 25 years ago are
still relativly sound where I stacked them, only soft on the outer growth wood.

Honey locust spines are about two inches long when hard. As they grow,
they are softer.

Honey locust would not last as fence posts; black locust will. Their being
used as fence posts doesn't mean that it wasn't a mistake--do you know
what happened to them once in the ground?

Wood will not rot when left out in the open, typically. However, when
it's in contact with the ground, or kept moist, then it will. A pile of
firewood is not the best test.

In sum, I cannot tell from what you know.



John213a ) wrote:
: Chris Crandall wrote:
: Not all locust is the same.
:
: *Black* locust is extraordinarily resistant to critters and rot.
: I have never seen it available in plank length, or any other substantial
: length. BRBR

: I have a bunch of locust on family property in the Catskills of NY. But for
: the life of me, I can't seem to figure out from what I have researched on the
: web if they are Black locust or honey locust. Even the discriptions on some
: sights seem contradictory.
: Especially when "ship mast" locust is mentioned as a type of black locust. My
: trees are relatively stright for about 20 feet before they branch out, and have
: small thorns. (some sites seem to say Black L. is small thorned and Honey is
: really large thorned. I would really like to know which one I have. Is there
: a sure fire way of identifying them? I know they once were poached for fence
: posts and some that have come down that I cut up for fire wood 25 years ago are
: still relativly sound where I stacked them, only soft on the outer growth wood.