: I am seriously contemplating building the Black Pearl. Having
: completed a S&G and a SOF within the past year, I'm thinking
: that a strip boat would round out the building experience.

: Clear WRC is hard to come by around here and when it can be found
: it runs about $5.00 - $6.00 a linear foot for 1x6 board. I could
: scour the decking materials but I doubt I'd find what I need.

: I was thinking about using pine because its cheaper and easier to
: acquire - especially in longer lengths. I know that a lot of
: people go with WRC for the look of the all wood boat with
: intricate designs and, while I admire the skill and workmanship,
: it's not for me. If I go with the Black Pearl it wiil be painted
: - just as I did with my S&G (see picture below). As such, I have
: no problems with building a boat in pine that would be rather
: boring to look at if left unpainted.

: My question is whether pine is a suitable material for a strip
: boat? I'm guessing it may be slightly heavier than WRC but not
: by much. The cost of buying clear WRC is not prohibitive - it's
: just not easy to find around here.

: Comments/suggestions.

: Sean

Hi Sean,
The short asnwer is yes.
Pine may seem boring but you can give it a golden colour with the right varnish. The opposite of what is usually wanted. :)
Pine is heavier than cedar but is more ding resistant and a bit stronger so you can go thinner than with cedar. This doesn't quite match the extra weight but can come very close.
With pine, you have to be more alert to dimensional change from humidity/temp changes compared to cedar. The drying or moistening trick works pretty much the same if the hull/deck curl in or out.
It will be harder to work with, sanding, bending, etc, than cedar.

Mike Savage
South West Cork