I don't forsee any problems with mahogany, walnut or padouk. They should look cool. They are relatively dense wood which would be well used as stems.

> I have some mahogany moulding scraps that have a profile that is
> approximately that of the cross section of a kayak's cockpit coaming. I
> have in mind to cut several small slices of this moulding to form a curved
> section comprising the coaming of the boat. I may separate the slices with
> contrasting hardwood (walnut or padouk, more garage sale scraps) slices
> cut into triangles to give the arc to the whole affair. I plan to make a
> nice fillet on the underside of the cockpit recess to strengthen the
> recess/coaming joint.

> I installed internal stems at the start made from cedar, and they'll stay
> in the boat. But I like the thought of external stems too. Would this
> mahogany (more scraps from the same project, not the moulding though) be
> suitable for this part of the boat? Sawn into verrrrry thin strips and
> glue laminated around the keel at the bow and stern.

> So the (inevitable) question: Is this wood suitable for this purpose? I
> have not heard of any mahogany - fiberglass warnings. Walnut? Padouk? (I
> think it's padouk, it's hard, heavy and ORANGE). What about making a
> coaming with joints in this direction (vertical), and no horizontal
> pieces? Will it be sufficiently strong? I'll fiberglass the whole affair
> according to Nick's book.

> Come to think about it, I will post some pictures of the materials in
> question for the experts to examine.

> Thanks in advance.

> Ed Valley