lots and lots of slash pine

[PeterSibley]

I have in my back paddock a small plantation of slash pine ,pinus eliotii ,big trees ....say 40 to 60 foot logs 18 to 24 inches through at chest height. There are probably 40 trees of that size and a lot smaller, they are all ( the bigger ones) 50 odd years old.Now I wish they were something else....but they are not !

Now apart from sympathising with me over having so much bad timber available does any one have any reasonable boatbuilding suggestions? I'm not using them in the current boat, I have better set aside ,however looking at all this really makes me wish there was some way of utiizing it. I have not used much of it,just milled a couple of logs 10 years ago and while good for slash pine it moves a lot ,expands & contracts and is non too durable.

Any suggestions ?

[MarkC]

Hi Mr Sibley,

I read the boral time site once (looking for info on ply in Australia) and came across the suppliers of plywood for Boral Timbers - Hancock Plywood (I think). They make their rated plywood (also suitable for boat building) from Hoop and slash? pine. Perhaps you can 'do a swap deal' that is, sell your logs to them in exchange for an amount of prepared ply. I think they need big logs to peel for ply?? Their ply was also listed in the Boat Craft Pacific web site - who also list some plans and designers for ply boats.

just an idea...

Cheers
Mark
ex-pat Aussie

[MarkC]

I meant - Boral Timber!! not boral time. I#ve foorgotten howw to typpe ovver Eaasterr.

[PeterSibley]

Thanks Mark good idea........I have a ply mill about 60 km away, I'll talk to them.