I went to my local Parr lumber and a guy showed me some 12' 1x2 fir. I think it is used for trim, but is not the finger jointed stuff. It had sat outside and is weathered, but was almost knot free. I bought 5 pieces and I scarfed it into 3 18' boards then split one of them down the center. I used these for the gunwalls and stringers. I had a left over keel from building my first kayak. It was a clean 3/4"x3/4" piece of fir.

It is amazing how lumber yard employees will help you if you get them interested in what you are doing. They understand that you are trying to spend as little as possible and will give you options you would never find by wandering the yard. The employee I worked with actually sorted through the stack with me to find the cleanest boards. Sometimes it pays to go the real lumber stores.

Foster

P.S. On my first kayak I paid $80 for a clear 5/4 16' 8" wide board. Got gunwalls, stringers and two keels out of it. Haven't seen a board like it since. I was on a shoestring budget at the time. Hurt to spend that much on one board, but seems well worth it at this point. (Yes the keel of my newest kayak is from that board.) Doug Fir can be heavy, (depends on the board) but fairly strong.

: I've found that one of my big costs (near $100) is for WRC for the
: stringers. What are you using (in non-builder-speak, if you
: don't mind) that you're pulling this off for $10?