Hey Dave, My first boat was a double-paddle canoe made from reclaimed old growth redwood and scrap lumber from the dumpster at work and elsewhere. Redwood can get very dark by the time you coat it with fiberglass and varnish but is still very pretty--just be aware it will darken when finished. I used oak for gunnels and made substantial decks of alternating strips of four different hardwoods. That was not enough contrast to suit me. Were I to build the same boat again I would definitely include a couple of contrasting accent strips maybe three or four strips down from the gunnels. I've currently got the hull of a kayak hanging between the rafters of the shop waiting for other projects. It too is made from redwood and believe me the deck will have plenty of contrast. I'd suggest something about the tone of oak but lighter in weight. The yellow of the gunnels works really well against the dark brown of the redwood. Also, I'd use the palest resin and varnish I could find. The resin on that canoe was West System. Since then I've switched to RAKA which is much paler. The difference on a paddle I made was noticeable if you were looking for it--probably not to a casual observer. Good luck, Tom.