CONTINUOUSWAVE

Are there any downsides to Sapele as an alternative to Mahogany?

I'm having a hard time finding a supplier for mahogany in Charleston, South Carolina.

Also, if given the chance would you build all components like the console, benches, and clamps with true 1-inch lumber as opposed to 3/4-inch?

Thanks

Sapele is heavier

Seats 1-inch and less for the rest; some might be 7/8-inch.

Try African Mahogany (Khaya Ivorensis) it is lighter than Sapele and more consistent in color and closer to the old Philippine Mahogany of yesteryear's. It is also actually more readily available but you must watch the quality as it comes in many different ones.
Nothing really wrong with Sapele except it is more dense and therefore heavier.

I used 13/16 sapele for the seats on a 13 ft. Found it a bit bouncy so I put a piece of it about 2in wide, on the bottom of the seat, to stiffen it. Glued and screwed it. Solid as a rock.

Keim Lumber in Charm Ohio

I bought sufficient sapele for my 13' and the wood delivered was excellent 5/4 planed and sanded on one side.

Total spent was around $200 plust shipping and that included wood for the front hatch as well as a backrest and backrest brackets.
I used 5/4 for the console seats and seat back, and .75" actual thickness for the rails and the front hatch cover. They cut to the specified widths and hit those perfectly and added about an inch to a half inch to the specified lengths. To make the seats, seat back and the hatch cover all I had to do was trim the overall length and radius some of the edges and those parts were done. The 5/4 for the seats were perfect and were not "bouncy" at all.

Also, be careful with some of the printed "plans" for the wood of the 13 footer. I used the ones that were on this site at one time, and the height of the side board for the console was incorrect, it was short by an inch. I had a table of wood sizes that I bought, but as I said, make sure that the piece you spec for the side of the console is longer than in the plans that were on line.

There are many grades of mahogany or species if you prefer to call them that. I went with Sipo at roughly 7.35/bf all placed and jointed.

D-

The original thwarts (seats) in the 13 and 15 footer were phillipine mahogany one-inch or more thick. Sapele is more dense and the seats are stronger at 3/4-inch thick, not prone to break, and the weight is about the same. Also Sapele is better looking with its ribbon like patterns. It is all I ever used. Phillipine is hard to find, and most true mahogany is furniture grade, not really used in the marine industry, and also expensive
rich

I used Sapele on my 13 and couldn't be happier with the look, the grain looks superb imo and much better than the mahogany I had originally tried restoring.

Mattwarmer
Wow that does look good love the grain pattern.