What type wood to repalce original on DS1

[russell]

Hi ,
Okay,the coamings are rotted and falling off,any suggestions on what to replace them with?They are still intact enough to use as templates,but can anyone suggest an economical wood(other than teak or Mahagony)to use that will look nice when varnished up ?Thanks

[Peter McMinn]

I replaced all the wood on my 1960 boat. Did a lot of research on various approaches and alternatives to teak and mahagony. Impregnated with enough epoxy, most anything will work.

I considered veneered plywood at one point, to save money, but with all the extra sealing and edge-work, it probably would have cost the same if not more than going with the traditional materials.

In the end, I ended up using Philipino mahagony. First on my list was that I could find the dimensions I needed from stock that came from certified timber i.e, not from some decimated rainforest (tree hugger). Second, it really wasn't all that expensive--I think I paid $80 for 3 good 1.1/4" planks. Mahagony is also very easily tooled and tends to take varnish much better than teak, which is better oiled.

I think what I learned was that aside from the initial investment in the mahagony and stainless fasteners, not much more was needed. Weigh out your time and resources. You might find that all the "hidden costs" make cheaper material actually more expensive!

Have fun!