[Geekie1]

Hi Mako,

I have made hatches and doors to replace teak ones using ipe wood. Ipe is also called ironwood and comes from South America. Ipe is like teak however it is so dense it will not float and not burn and it is heavier than teak. It is so tough that the boardwalk in Atlantic City NJ is now using ipe instead of pressure treated lumber for the replacement decking. Most of it is darker in color than teak, however, if you can find a lumber yard that has it and lets you pick through their stock, you will find ipe boards that are lighter in color and the lighter color ipe is a dead ringer for teak. It has very few knots and the same grain patterns and it fades to silver grey like teak if it is left unfinished. Another good thing about ipe is that it is about one third the price of teak or about 15 percent more expensive than western red cedar. This wood is very tough and is hard on saw blades and router bits and if you don't have powerful woodworking tools forget about it. Also, it is oily like teak so you need to clean a glue-up joint with acetone so the glue will penetrate. One of the reasons I like my V20 so much is the classic lines of the boat, its performance in rough weather and the teak. I don't like the total tupperware boats much and keeping the wood looking good isn't a big deal for me, especially since I am a woodworker with a fairly complete shop. I am thinking of making a helmsmans seat with storage under it using starboard or mdo plywood with ipe trim.