: Is that the same as macrocarpa for the kiwi builders? Certainly a lot of it
: available round here...

Hi,
Macrocarpa is just one of over a hundred species of cypress so its properties as a woodworking timber may be quite different from various other species being mentioned here. Do a google search and you'll find quite a bit of info on the subject. I've not used macro for strip-plank work but I've used it for plenty of furniture and other parts on a couple of boats. It can be pretty variable in grain orientation with some being real nice and uniform while other parts of the same plank are very curly and gnarly. It makes it visually interesting in furniture but it might be a bit tricky to work with as strips. Also, its quite stringy and tear-out can be somewhat of an problem when planing it. Still, if you can work around those issues I reckon it would make a beautiful looking boat and I'm a bit tempted myself for a future project.

Al.