In re-doing my interior I was lucky in that my boss was using sapele in his home and I was able to score some of that. I have also used some Honduras mahogany which is a little easier to work, more readily available most places and is a very good match if you retain any of the original sapele.
Both sapele and mahogany, as well as teak, are very dark woods so I incorporated some white oak and ash to brighten up the interior and give it a little more "Spacious" feeling.
Teak is arguably the best for exterior use, though either sapele or mahogany will do just fine if you have it. Where I live, teak is quite a bit more expensive than mahogany (In my case the sapele was leftover from a custom home construction so I got it free). Personally, I wouldn't bother with the extra expense. It's not necessary in the interior since the properties that make teak so sought after for boat use are superfluous when used inside the cabin. Mele Kalikimaka!
Hau`oli Makahiki Hou!
Chuck Rose
Editor, Fair Winds, The AVA Newsletter
SV Lealea, V1860
Honolulu
Hermene jared1@... wrote:
