Cedar canoes aren't made from cedar trees

[Steve in Idaho]

Common names are nothing but trouble.

Amen.

Personal beekeeper pet peeve..... every flying insect with a stinger is a "bee". And let's not get into the issue of what is or isn't a hornet.

I am horrible at wood identification. Much of the wood I have stocked came from auctions, estate sales, and salvage. Identification for me is often no more scientific than looking at the grain, color, weight, and porosity, and making an on-the-spot decision about suitability.

Maybe don't buy my boats (if I ever build one).

Interesting discussion. Carry on.

 

[Gamma1214]

Unless you are in the Great Lakes - where what people call poplars (or popples) are true poplars, - most people would know true poplars as aspens and cottonwoods

Interesting indeed. I'll have to remember that when North of the border. (especially with my Magnolia Bloodvein)

I knew that "Pickerel" are not in the Pickerel family but I wasn't aware that my Aspen stripper was, in fact, a Poplar.

50/50 on common names there...

 

[GladMax]

Since no one asked what Canoewood tree I was talking about, I'll keep talking to no one.

I perked up, but I'm late to party. Once I found out specifics, I'm interested in knowing more. 'Tulip Poplar' is something I have access to lots of, but not something I would have made a boat from.
Yes, it's light, but not at all rot resistant around water. Here in TN you'll see lots of 100+ to 100++ year old barns made of it, still standing, with the bottom 6in rotted off. And a few barns probably not much more than 15yrs old that look exactly the same.
It is considered soft, but it dries HARD. That is why they make pallets out of it. And hat blocks. Easy to carve, but then can build hat bodies on them for decades.
One thing is, the old boys, they made boats out of what they had. Nowadays, people are like: "If it isn't planked with genuine Old Growth Alaskan Yellow 'Cedar:' the boat is no good." But you know, the worst wood there is still better for boats than plastic at everything besides rot-resistance, and if you wanted to you could make the point that rot-resistance is plastic's weakest point.
The next boat I build is planned to be of hemp paper. I've been wanting to do it for almost a decade, I've built a prototype, I've built a full size mold. It is what is coming next, period. But I also want a stripper designed specifically for the creeks around my house. I have the stack of Western Red 'Cedar,' but Glenn, if you can tell me from experience that 'Poplar' works well...

 

[Gamma1214]

'Tulip Poplar' is something I have access to lots of, but not something I would have made a boat from.

I have & I'd recommend it, especially if you can source if cheap locally.

The "Poplar" (Magnolia?) was easy to work with and rot resistance is completely irrelevant once it's sealed in epoxy (kinda hard to do with a barn though)

Alan's Bloodvein II Canoe Strip Build

I've come to enjoy building canoes during the winter and experimenting with different wood combinations. The decision of what to build is normally tough but was made easy this time as the plans for my 2026 build are courtesy of @Alan Gage. Although this hull has been called other things, I'll...

www.canoetripping.net

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I have the stack of Western Red 'Cedar,' but Glenn, if you can tell me from experience that 'Poplar' works well...

Max, I'm not a builder or restorer of canoes. But I do craft sentences with words. I started this thread just to point out the technical terminology vs. the nicknames for some trees. I mentioned that I have a standing Tulip Tree only because in some parts of the country that tree is apparently nicknamed Canoewood, which I thought was interesting.

 

[GladMax]

I have & I'd recommend it, especially if you can source if cheap locally.

The "Poplar" (Magnolia?) was easy to work with and rot resistance is completely irrelevant once it's sealed in epoxy (kinda hard to do with a barn though)

After I hit Post Reply I remembered seeing Poplar here somewhere. Only your's Gamma? Yes, that pale wood is pretty. No beating that rich brown WRC takes under 'glass, but it does become common. There is a very pleasant mellow softness to your Bloodvein II. It has a gentle humility that reminds me of Yoda's robes, of Obi Wan's.

I'm not a builder or restorer of canoes. But I do craft sentences with words.

I enjoy the latter as well.
Thank you for the site, Glenn.

 

[Gamma1214]

Only your's Gamma?

As far as I know, my Bloodvein II is the only one posted here in Yellow (Tulip) Poplar. I believe most use WRC because it is light & rot resistant (which doesn't matter once sealed) and because "Cedar" is traditional for strippers (though I think Redwood predates it).

I've seen Mem's Raven in Northern White Cedar and prefer that color to WRC but you can, literally, build with anything, you simply have to account for the shortcomings (which are present with Cedars also).

Personally, I don't care for the darker woods except as accents and my favorite so far has been the Tamarack (aka Eastern Larch to tie in with the OP). It was a true PIA to work with but (again, IMO) the result is one of the prettiest strippers I've ever had the pleasure to fondle.