The Honduras and Cuban varieties are endangered, and today many types of ‘mahogany’ are in fact inferior substitutes like agba, ramin, and Philippine mahogany (also called lauan, and not a true mahogany). Be cautious in choosing mahogany: since 1595, when the carpenter on Sir Walter Raleigh’s ship first discovered its properties and introduced them to European craftsmen, mahogany has been the unfortunate victim of colossal over-harvesting.
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Teak, oak and mahogany, though also pricey (but less so), can be found in large quantities in most metropolitan areas. But they are expensive, and therefore unsuitable for large projects such as decks and gunwales. And their natural oils produce a dark, lustrous sheen that is quite beautiful. Thankfully, most dense woods are also highly moisture resistant. In general, tougher is better, especially for hardware mounts. North American suppliers seldom carry these more exotic hardwoods in quantity, though they will often stock small boards or blanks used by woodturners. Lignum vitae, the toughest commercially-available wood, far exceeds teak in density, strength, stiffness, and decay resistance.
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Shackleton’s Endurance was sheathed in greenheart, and the railway ties of the London Underground are of jarrah. While teak is ubiquitous, many other seafaring woods are equally strong and durable: greenheart, jarrah, African blackwood. The teak of the cave temples in Salsette, India, is two thousand years old and perfectly intact. The wood’s natural oils provide outstanding resistance to moisture, and it can be left unfinished without compromising its longevity. The British Admiralty pilot books still warn cargo ships to avoid colliding with Asian teak-hulled junks, as the wood often prevails against steel hull plates. Teak has long been popular for its strength and durability. Exterior marine surfaces such as decks, gunwales and hardware mounts are fashioned from dense, decay-resistant woods like teak and white oak. Understanding the Applicationīefore repairing or replacing wood on your boat, it is crucial to know the structural role the wood will play. In this issue, we’ll begin on the boat, with the challenge of wood selection. In this two-part series, we’ll explore a straightforward procedure for choosing, installing, and finishing wood.
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But unlike our nautical forebears, who were intimately acquainted with the properties of spruce and cedar and teak and jarrah, many mariners of today are not familiar with the proper means of selecting woods for marine use. The color and texture of grain, the particular warmth of wood in the sun, the way a teak gunwale is shaped precisely to meet the grasping hand: these qualities of wood embody the romance of the sea. In an age of plastics and composites, wood has not surrendered its claim on the mariner.