What is the "Best" Boat Building timber in the world ?

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maffra

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Interested to know what really is the "Best Boat Building Timber" noting that different areas & climates suit different woods.

For starters, here are some samples for discussions.

"For Planking": Honduras & African Mahogany, Burmese Teak, Huon pine, NZ kauri, Spotted gum.

"For framing" : White Oak, Spotted Gum, Flooded gum.

What really is the "Best" Interested to hear opinions.?

Maffra.
 
No such thing as "best"!

Clearly different timbers have different properties so are suitable or otherwise for different applications. Also depends if you are using timber on its own or in a composite structure.

The oak/teak/douglas fir mix was common in UK for a long time because they were available and suitable - although larch and pitch pine were often preferred for planking until they became scarce.
 
Quite - no such thing as 'best'; just horses for courses. Depends on a number of factors including fresh or salt water - not to mention the intended use for the boat.
 
I'll second all of the above, only adding that in 1947 Thor Heyerdahl and Kon-Tiki proved balsa as a pretty good timber if you're into rafting the Pacific.

It might be interesting to hear of some of the more surprising materials that have been used to build boats.

One has today set sail from San Francisco bound for Sydney made of plastic bottles - the Plastiki, what else - according to BBC news here.
 
All good points, Let's define it a little.
If you had to build a wooden boat today along the lines of an Olin Stephens Classic to sail the oceans of the world ,what would the best choices be for frames & planking.?

Maffra
 
Probably laminated ring frames in Douglas Fir and Mahogany. Western red cedar strip planking with Khaya veneers outside and sheathed in epoxy glass. Deck plywood epoxy glass sheathed but might show off a bit with the cabin and coamings with Sapele - epoxy primed and UV varnished.

Now, that would really look something! Although if I was going to all that expense and effort I would probably choose an updated Alden design.
 
Fraid to say that if I was making an S&S design to go world girdling then I'd probably make it out of steel.

It's hard to say what is the best wood. In my experience, Oak planks on Pine frames can last very well with very few ill effects. Yet that is generally considered to be the wrong way round.

Teak I would say was the best all rounder. There aren't many woods that perform well when used in every aspect of the hull, from frames to the cockpit combings.
 
My own boat is mahogany on oak, but in the 60 years since she was launched the mahogany has had to have a lot of TLC and a middling amount of replacement. From what I've seen, if I were to build a copy of our boat (I'd make it 10 feet longer and 3 feet wider) I'd use Iroco. It's hard, very durable and strong and has almost double the life expectancy of mahogany.
 
Pitch pine on oak

I believe that pitch pine is the best planking timber, probably impossible to find enough now, and grown oak frames with steamed timbers between. Maybe laminated frames nowadays. Pitch pine is marvellous stuff, lighter than teak, but just as durable. It it virtually movement-free. Failing that larch is good too for planking, but again, the best stuff is being sold as cladding. Boatskin larch is available but getting scarce.
 
For planking you can't beat Larch - the further north it is grown the better.

Course I would say that - Amulet is planked with larch from the highlands of Scotland, on steamed english oak frames.
 
A lot depends on the size of the boat and the use for which it is designed.

Mariposa has Canadian Rock Elm frames. Hard as nails with interlocking grain. Can't get it now, and as far as I know never available in sizes suitable for really big boats.

Larch: Probably the most durable for planking as far as yachts are concerned, but mahogany looked better under varnish and is practically rotproof in salt water.

Oak is / was relatively cheap, reasonably durable, strong as hell, and consequently popular with commercial boats, such as fishing trawlers.

Pitch pine. Brilliant stuff, and consequently all used up and as far as boatbuilding is concerned, extinct.

Greenheart. Rot proof but a bitch to work. Toxic dust and a skelf will go septic overnight.

Elm. Used mainly for keels because of its great strength due to interlocking grain. Prone to rot though.

Douglas Fir. Strong. Looks good under varnish but a bit heavy, 2nd best for spars

Spruce. Light, strong, great for spars, but not as durable as Douglas Fir.

Teak. The holy grail for planking. Looks good naked so doesn't need a lot of protection. Hard to source unless you don't mind dealing with military junta.
 
Good Summary, What do you think of Honduras and African Mahogany?
In our part of the world our Holy Grails for Planking on yachts are Huon Pine and New Zealand Kauri, if you can get enough,both are protected species,some are gained by lifting old logs out of bottom of rivers that were left over one hundred years ago from the loggers,some of the timber of Huon Pine is over 1,000 year old before felling.Working fishing boats mostly go for the tougher woods eg. Gums ,spotted gum is often preferred.
 
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