Marine Lumber

[gunslinger]

Has anyone bought marine hardwood and from where? Needs to be located between Ventura and LA. Looking for top quality stringer material and plywood. I know some people use Home Depot material and thats fine for some. Looking for clear hardwood only, from a supplier that knows what the word quality means. Thanks for any info.

[YeLLowBoaT]

Marine ply is not hard to find, just pick up the phone book and look for a plywood supplier.( most major lumber yards won't have it, most hard wood places will)
When it comes to the stringers look for something that is "kiln dried". If you can't find that, look for somthing strait grained and no knots, then let it dry out really well (make sure it dries strait.) What ever you do, DO NOT get "presure treated" wood.

[corlish]

gunslinger,
On the stringer material -- not sure what you are working on, but most of our boats were put together with a cllear kiln-dried Doug Fir and when done properly will last for a looong time. There are "better" woods out there in terms of water absorption (or lack thereof) such as white oak and phillipean mahogony. That said my vote would still be for the Doug Fir because of it's price, availabilty and good track record.
Good Luck!
Corey

[DUCKY]

Do not use hardwood for stringers in a fiberglass boat!
Boats flex, and the harder the wood, the more likely the stringers will be to delaminate. I use glue-lams, or laminate my own plywood stringers for any fast boat stringer job. The laminated plywood is physically tougher than anything you can buy, but it has enough capability for flex that it doesn't want to jump out of the boat.
As far a plywood for floors, etc... goes, Just use the top quality stuff from the lumber yard (ACX, I believe) It's plugged and sanded on both sides. If you fit it into the boat right, and resin coat it on the top, bottom AND ENDGRAIN, with surfacing agent mixed in your resin, your repairs will likely outlast the rest of the boat.

[jh4rt]

Conejo Hardwoods in Thousand Oaks has a great selection, including mahogony.
Far West Plywood (think that is the name) is in Northridge(ish) on Parthenia. They have a great selection of plywood.

[beerjet]

Has anyone bought marine hardwood and from where? Needs to be located between Ventura and LA. Looking for top quality stringer material and plywood. I know some people use Home Depot material and thats fine for some. Looking for clear hardwood only, from a supplier that knows what the word quality means. Thanks for any info.
The home depot stuff is probably what they used in boats thirty years ago . If you seal it right , it'll probably last even longer than you'll have the boat . At a quarter of the cost as well . That's just me .
-beerjet-

[gunslinger]

Thanks for the response guys. I've got it covered