Plimoth Plantation Seeks Rare White Oak For Mayflower II Repairs

PLYMOUTH (CBS) – Plimoth Plantation is looking for some help repairing the Mayflower II, a full-scale replica of the original Mayflower.

The Museum is asking for help in locating sources for where it can purchase white oak lumber for the repairs.

 Mayflower II is currently undergoing extensive repairs at dry dock in Fairhaven, Massachusetts at the Fairhaven Shipyard.

According to a news release by Plimouth Plantation, the ship needs frames and planks replaced to make her seaworthy.  

Those frames and planks need to be made of a very rare wood. The oak trees they're looking for are around 100 feet tall, more than four feet wide, and don't have any knots.

"This wood doesn't come from typical commercial sources," Peter Arenstam, the ship's captain and manager of Plimoth Plantation's Maritime Artisans program said in the news release. "We are looking for very specific trees that need to be the right age, size and even have the proper bend."

The release also notes that sourcing of the wood has to be done in a selective, environmentally-responsible way.

Anyone who can help should email whiteoak@plimoth.org, or call Sarah Macdonald at 508-746-1622 x8206.