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I can purchase either African Mahogany or Honduras Mahogany from the lumber yard that I use. African is much cheaper. On this forum, I read that Phillipean Mahogany should be used. Is it because it resists rot better that African or Honduras? I would like to use what they stock. Is there a difference between Mahogany woods like there is between Red Oak and White Oak in terms of rot resistance.

Hi Jerry,

Phileppean mahogany was used on the boats built by Thompson, Cruisers, T & T, Grady-White, Chris-Craft, etc... It actually is not a true mahogany - it is a luan species.

Honduran mahogany is much darker than either African or Phileppean mahoghany. Not sure about the decay resistance differences. The USDA Forest Products Lab's WOOD HANDBOOK (which is online) probably gives the various species characteristics.

I used African mahogany for a dashboard recently - just because I couldn't readily find Phileppean in the size I needed. It stained the same as the rest of the Phileppean. I also use Okume plywood lieu of mahogany plywood. Okume is a cousin to luan, so it is close to what was originally used on these lapstrake boats.

Andreas

Andreas, thanks for the reply. I need to replace the transom. Would African Mahogany be OK?

Is Philippine mahogany available at any price? I've heard it is no longer available, as The Philippines bans its export unless in finished products.

Is Philippine Mahogany plywood available anywhere? How about African ribbon stripe? Does anyone one do custom veneering?

I have been looking in Houston, I found African and Honduras, but not Philippian. African looks more like Philippian than Honduran Mahogany. The ribbon stripe African is chose. Better yet, it's half the price of Honduran. African is $5 a board foot, is that the norm?

It's the purist in me.

I was paying between $5.15 and 5.40 per Board Foot for Phileppean Mahohagy lumber this summer. African Mahogany was $5.96/BF.

Phileppean is readily available here in Minneapolis. I am not aware of any shortages. I have not even looked for mahogany plywood, since Okume is readily available and so closely related to Phileppean mahogany.

Andreas

Andreas, what type of priccing are you seeing on the Okume ply. It seems like each time I look the price here goes up. My thought is to use 9mm on the deck. By the way with proper supports in the bow would this support a person walking on it? Or should I go with a 12mm?

Eric

I paid $77.33 per sheet for 3/8 inch thick Okume in June 2006. This was used for deck and splash well on a 1959 Thompson (Peshtigo) Sea Lancer. Used the same stuff last year in a 1965 Peshtigo Sea Lancer.

Andreas