Acacia wood

[Rivers & creeks]

I have replaced most of the rubbing strakes but they need a finishing piece of hardwood strip. I have found a nice source of acacia wood, it's a hardwood and suited for use outdoors but is it good for the marine environment?

Thanks for any help. Simon

 

[Peterduck]

Australia has about 400 species of Acacia, so it's about as vague as 'pine' or 'hardwood'. Most [but not all] of them are classsified as 'non-durable' but find their best application as furniture timber. I did the interior fit-out of my ketch in Blackwood [A. melanoxylon] and it looked really lovely when varnished. However, as a rubbing strake, durablilty is not an issue, as it should be considered as a sacrificial timber. Use only tungsten carbide tipped tools for working the stuff, as it will probably ruin anything less. Also look for an interlocking grain, which makes the timber tough, but is hell to finish nicely. I had to use a belt sander followed by an orbital to get a nice finish on my table-top; planing was out of the question.
Peter.

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Thanks David. By non-durable do you mean prone to rot or just easily damaged?

 

[Peterduck]

Prone to rot. The terms 'durable' and 'non-durable' are used in timber classification, and refer to the susceptibilty of the timber to fungal attack. Certainly, the Acacias that grow here are not easily damaged, hence the caution to use tungsten carbide tipped tools.
'Peter'

 

[Rivers & creeks]

Thanks Peter!

 

[prettyjazs]

acacia is one of the famous trees in the Philippines it has a good quality and known for being a durable tree

 

[Cliveshep]

You could build an ark, although whether it was Moses' ark or the ark of the Covenant I don't remember but it was acacia wood, oh, and shittim wood, whatever that was!