TIMBER!!!

Building boats takes a lot of lumber.  And very specific types - the wrong selection will lead to problems later on.  The problem for any boat builder is that not only are the correct species and characteristics needed difficult to find, they are very expensive.  Not having deep pockets means we had to think outside the box a bit, and rely heavily on the generosity of our supporters.

Ships' boats are a careful balance of weight and strength.  The boat has to be strong enough to support rough and heavy use in hostile environments - landing on beaches, bumping alongside, hoisting and even trailering put a lot of strain on the hull of a boat.  At the same time the boat has to be light enough to move quickly under oar and sail, and not overburden davits and tackle while hoisting aboard.  

According to specifications, the whole hull of the 28-foot cutter is supposed to weigh just 1,952 lbs - extremely light when you consider the weight of her equipment alone is another 1,000 lbs.  Her crew weighs as much as she does.

Achieving that balance of high strength and light weight means the lumber specifications must be followed as closely as possible.

The Navy's plans call for specific lumber types - the same types proved resilient through centuries of use.  Most structural members are white oak, Quercus alba. Planking is Atlantic white cedar, Chamaecyparis thyoides.  And the thwarts, oars, decking and other surfaces that take a beating are white ash, Fraxinus americana.  Each has its own unique qualities that make it not only suitable but highly desirable for their given uses.

The first elements to be built are the primary structural members. The keel, stem, sternpost, deadwood, keelson, frames, and floors are all white oak.  It's the only species in our list that might actually be found in a big-box hardware store.  But our needs are, of course, more specific than we could ever hope to find there.  The lumber we need is quarter sawn, and not only do we need seasoned stock, but green stock (freshly felled) as well.  Only green wood can be steam-bent to form our frames and floors, but you'd be hard-pressed to find it in even the best stocked specialty lumber yards.

Our solution for both scarcity and cost involves tapping into the wide variety of capabilities among our membership and supporters.  Working backwards, Dockyard Superintendent Dan O'Brien knows wood - what cuts make the best stock and how to identify good timber.  Member Joe Stuck has a portable sawmill, and lots of experience cutting various types of timber into lumber.  And supporter David Renick had four old-growth oaks in his front yard near Richmond.  The donations of several more members meant we found means to have the trees felled and transported to the Dockyard in Chesapeake.

Dan O'Brien inspecting one of the old-growth logs.

The first third of the yield arriving at the Dockyard.

Our hope is that we can mill what we need for our boats and other projects, and sell the surplus to recover some of the costs of felling and transportation.  Seeing as we've already had several offers to buy what we don't use (this stuff is GORGEOUS), we're optimistic.  If successful, we'll start calling in several pledges for the other species we need.

To be clear - we aren't going into the timber business.  We've already learned that the margins loggers and millers live on is pretty thin.  But we hope that with continued support (and a LOT of hard work), we'll be able to get the lumber we need without breaking the bank.

Tomorrow, Saturday February 1st, we'll begin milling our first four white oak trees at the Dockyard in Chesapeake.  Stop by and lend a hand, and see for yourself just how gorgeous this timber really is!

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