: How much wood does it take to build a guillemot? (I'm sorry if this has been
: discussed ad infinitum, but I couldn't find it.) I'm having trouble
: converting the Materials List in Appendix One of Nick's book into
: something that jibes with what I'm seeing on websites - inches of strips
: into board feet of lumber and all that.

: Let me put it this way (and feel free to point out errors in my thinking): If
: I want to use 3/4" wide strips, I can use 1" x whatever boards,
: since the 1" dimension is actually 3/4", right? So, let's say I
: want to use 6" wide boards of western red cedar. Should I get boards
: which are 18 feet long? A mix of long ones and short ones? All short ones
: to save money and shipping? Suppose, to make my figuring easier, that I
: bought all 6" x 18' boards. How many would it take?

: I've spent quite a bit of time getting my table saw ready for ripping - long
: fence, long infeed and outfeed tables, lots of featherboards - and built a
: good router table. I'm getting ready to start making my strips, but I
: don't have a good source of cedar close by, so I'm looking at getting wood
: delivered from someone - Flounder Bay, Raven. I want to know what I'm
: looking at in terms of expense.

: There is a lot of redwood around here (central coast of California.) Should I
: just switch my thinking and build a redwood boat? Even if I do that, I'd
: still like advice on how much wood I'll need, and the advantages of 18'
: strips versus shorter.

: Thanks in advance to anyone who responds. (I'm getting really excited to get
: started!)

Hi Gordon;
If you had 18' boards you should have about 60 strips.
Full strips are nice as you have no seams in the boat but you have to fit both ends at the same time.(some)
My first stripper had 16' and 18' strips. I'm now using shorter strips (to use up some salvage wood) I find it easier, but have to live with the joints.
Next time I'll use 10's and 8's.so only one joint per course.
You will want to mill more than you need for one boat so you have an excuse to start another.
Also mill 10 or 12 1/2" or thinner strips for the chine area and the shear.
Good luck I know you'll enjoy it.
Regards Terry

PS I'd use redwood if it was handy