What type of Dimensional Lumber?
The lumber that you use to frame the boat should be dense enough to hold a screw well and flexible enough to make the bends and twists that it must make without cracking. We use a lot of clear Fir, “clear” meaning that it has a clear grain with few splits or knotholes. Another good choice for heavy duty working boats is treated pine, such as regular deck-building lumber. They aren’t pretty, though it doesn’t matter if you plan to paint them, and they are inexpensive and will last forever.
The lumber that you use to frame the boat should be dense enough to hold a screw well and flexible enough to make the bends and twists that it must make without cracking. We use a lot of clear Fir, “clear” meaning that it has a clear grain with few splits or knotholes. Another good choice for heavy duty working boats is treated pine, such as regular deck-building lumber. They aren’t pretty, though it doesn’t matter if you plan to paint them, and they are inexpensive and will last forever, just try to let them dry out as much as possible before use to minimize shrinkage later.
