For those who have built with White Oak

Bill Burruss

Bill Burruss

Well-known member
Hi.
Progress on the Cackler has been slow, but we should pick up the pace soon. Have been shopping for keelson/combing/strongback wood, and have been considering white oak. Does anyone have any experience on how it holds up with epoxy/fiberglass boat construction? It is listed as a wood that is ok for boat building, but was wondering how well it takes epoxy, and if anyone who has used it has had any delamination problems.
The doug fir on my BB2 and Broadbill have held up fine, but am having troubles finding it around here.


Thanks,
Bill
 
Bill~

I'm not a big fan of White Oak and epoxy - but use at least 3 coats if you do. If you cannot find good Doug Fir (a good lumber yard should carry nice vertical grain for stairs etc), I would opt for either Southern Yellow Pine or Philippine Mahogany (aka Lauan).

The Doug Fir, SYP or Mahogany would all be lighter than White Oak but still plenty strong.

Hope this helps,

SJS
 
Steve,
Thanks. Any thoughts on poplar? That may be easy and cheap for me to get.


v/r
Bill
 
Last edited:
Bill~

I avoid poplar (really Yellow Poplar = Tuliptree) for anything that will get wet. It is highly rot prone, even if sealed in epoxy. And, yes, I learned this the hard way.

SJS
 
Bill

I found a 17' 4" wide piece of tight vertical grain in my yellow pine stack. There might be another if we dig. I'd go with yellow pine before poplar.
 
Forgot, I have some black locust for the keelsons. It's only about 8' long but you could splice or scarf it.
 
Hi.
Progress on the Cackler has been slow, but we should pick up the pace soon. Have been shopping for keelson/combing/strongback wood, and have been considering white oak. Does anyone have any experience on how it holds up with epoxy/fiberglass boat construction? It is listed as a wood that is ok for boat building, but was wondering how well it takes epoxy, and if anyone who has used it has had any delamination problems.
The doug fir on my BB2 and Broadbill have held up fine, but am having troubles finding it around here.


Thanks,
Bill
Click to expand...

I like oak just fine (and free especially). I like hardwood on any abused areas, especially sheer clamps and strakes and combings. I'd use ash, oak or a hard tropical hardwood for those, but if DF worked for you in the past you have more options.
 
Bill, there should be plenty of clear Cypress in your area. Gulf coast boats have been built out of it for a couple of centuries. Rich
 
White oak is great for boats White Oak is why England came to the new world
they needed WHITE OAK to build ships. I use lots of white oak but I don't use epoxy.
I am an old fashion boat guy no fiberglass


I have restored 10 old duckboats
most over 100 years old.
no fiberglass in my boats
 
Has anyone ever used roasted wood in a boat??? It is supposed to have superior rot resistance, not sure of epoxy bond but they make it from pine and poplar. Colors are really cool and consistent.
 
I have used IPE. a south american hardwood that takes over for mahogany. around me it is used for decking and a lot of lumberyards carry it. VERY hard and dense
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top