JEM Watercraft

I have searched back through the archives of this here forum, and see that Matt has expressed a preference for Ash. In the USA, what else have people used and why? I've been putting together a list of wood species and characteristics to help with this choice, comparing the weight against the following characteristics of the lumber: hardness, bending strength, and elasticity.

First off, hardness, because especially the outwhales have a high probability of getting knocked into stuff on and off the water. Bending strength, because of course the gunnels are supposed to add strength to the top of the canoe / pirogue. Elasticity because that strength can't come at too high a deflection or the glass and ply won't be happy.

Based on these characteristics, I see the cherry and red, black, or sitka spruce perform pretty darn well at a fraction of the weight of ash.

So... What do other USA people use (besides just more ply or stock pine lumber from the big box store)?
Am I over-analyzing this (brought on by the fact that I haven't got the ply to cut yet to keep me busy)?

Paralyzed by Analysis:
jtz

confusedSea wrote: cherry and red, black, or sitka spruce perform pretty darn well at a fraction of the weight of ash.

Ash is pretty common here (in addition to it's strength properties) so that's why I mention a preference for it.

Spruce and cherry would work nicely as well. Even a clear pine would work.

On my Touring Pirogue, I used cedar (1/2 inch strip) and then put a very thin (1/8" thick) strip of dark walnut (very hard and nice contrast) on for abrasion resistance on the outside and 1/2 inch cedar strip plus a 1/4 inch thick walnut strip on the inside.

craiggamesh wrote:On my Touring Pirogue, I used cedar (1/2 inch strip) and then put a very thin (1/8" thick) strip of dark walnut (very hard and nice contrast) on for abrasion resistance on the outside and 1/2 inch cedar strip plus a 1/4 inch thick walnut strip on the inside.

Yeah... makes sense... but your whole darn boat is a work of art, so it kinda follows. I have no delusions that my first boat will come in near as pretty as that strip pirogue.

jtz