Why does Mad River use ash for gunwales instead of spruce or mahogany or other woods?
Let’s talk about the alternatives first. We don’t use mahogany because it’s a rain forest hardwood in decreasing supply. Before 1991 we used mahogany in deck plates but replaced it with butternut as the impact of the depletion and exploitation of tropical hardwoods became clear. Beyond the “political” implications, mahogany tends to be a short grained wood that is subject to cracking and splitting if stressed. It’s also heavier than ash. Spruce does have the advantage of lighter weight than ash but its not as strong nor as flexible. Additionally, it is not as resistant to weathering as ash. Spruce is a soft wood and does not offer the strength and integrity of a hard wood. It’s easily dented when bumped and will fracture if significantly distorted. On the other hand, most hardwoods are too stiff to bend easily. Their grain structure is too dense to allow the wood to follow the hull contours of a canoe without being steamed or otherwise manipulated. For the most part, hardwoods also ten
