Walnut gunwales

[firefightered]

I am building a 16' prospector out of bass wood and walnut. I am not really concerned about the weight a hole lot because I don't plan to portage it much. I would like my gunwales to be made of walnut to match my accent strips. does anyone have any advise?

[Rick]

Black walnut has dark brown heartwood and the sapwood can be much lighter in tone. One of the boards I bought recently has some areas of lighter sapwood in it which adds interest - for a gunwale you'll probably want uniform dark tone.

[Tom in MN]

I built a wee lassie out of basswood with a walnut stripe and then used walnut for the gunnels, decks, seat and yoke/back brace. I found using walnut no different than any other hardwood on any other canoe I have built. I have worked with ash, mahogany, walnut. I think it worked out great. I also have the 16' Whitewater out of Gilpatricks book made out of basswood with mahogany gunnels and decks and ash seats. This was my first canoe I ever built and I over built it with too much epoxy on the hull and "beefy" gunnels and sets. Even with a third center seat, it comes it at just over 75 lbs, so it is not terrible to get on and off the car or portage a short distance.

I love building canoes out of basswood. Cheap, machines excellent with no tearing or chipping and sands pretty easy. It is an overlooked wood for canoe building and at $2/bf hard to beat for cost. I think you will like the way it looks.

[firefightered]

Thanks for the replies. I to like working with bass wood. It sands and cuts pretty good. I was concerned a little with the weight in a 16' canoe made of basswood. How well did your gunnels bend dry. I made my stems with laminated bass woo and walnut but I steamed them. I am a little concerned about the hard curve at the bow and stern. I too am going to build my seats, decks, gunnels and paddles out of walnut.