Materials Used in Construction and Restoration

Hardwoods
Quartersawn White Oak: We use white oak for steam bent frames and for structural members, as it bends easily yet is strong and resilient.
Sapele: Sapele can be used for most of a boat's structure. It has an attractive grain when varnished, similar to African Mahogany.
Teak: Teak is unsurpassed for rot resistance. Although expensive and increasingly difficult to obtain, it is an excellent boatbuilding wood.

Softwoods
Sitka Spruce: Sitka Spruce is very stiff for its weight, and has always been the preferred wood for lightweight spars, paddles and oars. We use specially selected spar grade Sitka spruce.
Alaska Yellow Cedar: Alaska Yellow Cedar is a very fine grained rot-resistant wood. It glues and holds fasteners well, and has a beautiful color when varnished.
Port Orford Cedar: Similar to yellow cedar, but with a lighter color. Probably the finest cedar for boatbuilding on the West Coast, but not widely available.

Bronze fasteners and copper rivets and tacks: We use only non-ferrous fasteners in our boats, ensuring a long, trouble-free life for boats used in fresh or salt water.

Finishes
Varnish: We provide expert varnishing, whether the project is an annual maintenance coat or two, or a complete strip, bleach and refinish. We can handle your needs. We work with both single and two part varnishes, as well as oil finishes. A minimum of six coats of conventional varnish are suggested for UV resistance, fewer for interior or shaded areas.
Paint: For most jobs, marine alkyd enamels are appropriate, either brushed or HVLP sprayed. In cases where the abrasion resistance is critical, urethanes (Awlgrip®) can be used.