: I need your advise. The only hardwoods I can find localy are kiln dried.

Before confining yourself to Kiln-dried, have you *really* eliminated the possibility of a nearby mill that might have some fresh-cut stock? Chances are they won't have a yellow pages entry, but the guy at the hardwood store that *is* listed in the yellow pages will know where there is one.

I was just talking with my B-I-L last week and mentioned that there were only 2 mills that I knew of within an hour of my home. He rattled off the names of 3 more within 20 minutes of me that I'd never run across!

I have no personal experience with it but Chris Cunningham recommends [if you need to use kiln-dried] ash in his "Building a Greenland Kayak". He also recommends soaking it for several days [weeks?] before steaming.

Jim