Historic timbers in naval carpentry of whaling canoes of the Santa Catarina coast

Abstract Traditional boats are considered a rich cultural heritage on the use of forest resources, and the Azoreans responsible for culture construction of whaling boats in Brazil. This study aimed to identify the wood used in the construction of whaling boats, generating subsidies to better understand the relationship of use of forest resources for traditional naval carpentry in Santa Catarina state. Five canoes were studied belonging to the museum collection of the National Sea Museum, São Francisco do Sul, Santa Catarina. The collection of historical timber was performed with increment borer aid for subsequent production of histological slides and anatomical description. The identification of the timber was conducted by comparison reference collection. Five taxa were identified woods used in combination in the construction of the components of the canoes. They are: Araucaria angustifolia (Araucariaceae) Aspidosperma sp. (Apocynaceae), Ocotea/Nectandra (Lauraceae), Enterolobium contortisiliquum Fabaceae and Cedrela fissilis (Meliaceae). The wood used in the construction of whaling canoes revealed not only the traditional knowledge about the techniques of naval carpentry brought by the Azoreans, but also the technological knowledge on the use of forest resources in the area of Atlantic Forest associated with their availability in natural environments times past.