The beautiful curves of wooden boats have surfaces which come together at odd angles and often use special timber shapes called “boat knees” to join them together and add strength.
Most woodworkers know that timber is strongest along the grain but will split when force is applied across the grain.
Timber can be bent, joined or laminated but boat knees from the natural crooks or bends in trees are highly prized by shipwrights. Tree roots are a common source of 90-degree bends.
In 1943-44 the Forests Commission supplied some 722 boat knees from State forest…
Photo: NAA.
Victoria’s Forests & Bushfire Heritage 