BillD, that looks like it should fit into my plans. Plus I have a few chunks of wood for you including some ifit. I have lost your mailing addres so if you would be so kind as to PM it to me I may be able to send them to you.

As a woodworker you would be interested in the wood we used in our outigger canoe. The tam (pontoon) is joined to the outrigger beams at right angles. As such the connection is subject to racking stress. The canoe builders use a wood they call negus to form a spring mechanism to control that movement. Negus grows like a bush, nothing bigger than 2 inches in diameter, and nothing straight. I cannot break a 3 foot long 1 inch thick piece over my knee. It's so dense it will not float, even when well seasoned. Neat stuff.