I can see you are in this now, all the way. There is one critical thing all those responses didn't tell you. In all likelihood your spouse, and probably your friends, will not share your enthusiasm for your new avocation, although they will admire and support you, at least to a degree. You will see their eyes glaze over after a few minutes on the subject once you really get the bug and start dreaming about boats. You may find you have to limit it to answering direct questions and come here to get it out of your system.

I think any incompatibility between woods is rare/non-existent because it's isolated within the layers opf glass/epoxy. Someone might correct me but I haven't seen any problems. Any reasonably straight grained almost knot free wood works but cedar is traditionally used and commonly pine or combined.

Cedar can be obtained from salvaged siding, for example. My first canoe was yellow pine salvaged from crates at glass shop. Bit heavy but otherwise ok.

My present project is N. white cedar, atlantic cedar, redwood, red cedar and something I think is red cedar from a 40 or 50 year old 4x4 I took out of my kitchen ceiling. It's another distinct color anyway.

Nick's book is good. Buy it. I buy every book I see, most have been loaned (given) to propsective builders. Ted Moore's book is another but you could spark another thread about the differences in construction. They are all good to have so you can see many options and how there are few limits.

There is also good free info available from epoxy manufacturers on use of their products.