: The spruce used for masts may be Sitka spruce which IS very expensive.

I wonder why none of the northern white shows up in the W. coast lumberyards. Probably because it would cut the price they could 'gouge' for the Sitka.

: Northern white spruce is amost as strong as Sitka.

: It is however normally full of knots. If you look through the 2 X 10s and 12s
: you can find clear sections since these boards are cut from larger trees.
: I'll buy a 2 X 12 with a 3" to 4" clear section because the wood
: is cheap and good.

The stuff I've seen generally has very tiny knots, so I can often flip strips over and put the knot on the inside of the boat.

: I use nw spruce for paddles and accent stripes on my boats. I have used it
: and Sitka spruce for decks and hull before but no longer do, because I
: wish to make my boats as light-weight as possible I now only use cedar.

You're fortunate enough to live close to good sources of Atlantic white cedar. Around here, white cedar means sapwood off of red cedar boards!! ..or big shipping costs. Alaskan yellow is heavier than spruce.

Shawn