: I'm about to build an SOF or two and am having a very hard time
: getting WRC around here, so I'm contemplating using clear Pine.
: Any ideas how much Pine adds to the weight of the boat vs WRC?

Depending on the size of the boat, maybe 2 to 3 pounds. Pine is a bit stronger than Cedar, so you can litterally shave a few pounds off the frame by reducing the size of some of the stringers.

I've seen lots of sales on White Ash recently. It could be because of the damage done to our Ash forests by the Emerald Ash Borer. The wood is very reasonably priced and may even be cheaper than clear pine, spruce or fir. The boards I'm seeing are usually very free of knots, and Ash is a bit stronger than pine on a size-by-size basis, so, again, you can make your stringers a bit smaller than if they were made of Cedar, and still have the necessary strength. Check with a hardwood dealer near you, or you can get this by mailorder.

Nice thing about buying hardwoods is that 4/4 lumber is not always planed down to 3/4" as it commonly is with Pine. It might be 7/8". For some parts that extra thickness means added strength.

If weight is an issue, consider using stringers with a "D" cross section instead of rectangular stock. You don't need fancy router bits to do this. Mark a centerline on your stock with a pencil line, and just shave off the corners with a plane. Any weight you knock off the corners is weight you knock off the boat. For the most part, though, it won't be a big difference regardless of the wood you choose. SOF boats are light.

PGJ