Strip plank is a light weight, strong method of constructing hulls because the wood serves as a core material and as a structural material for longitudinal bending stresses caused by the rig loads and the sea. Wood bonded with epoxy is a modern structural material with a higher strength or stiffness per pound than steel, aluminum or fiberglass. Cedar is an excellent core material. I use Western Red Cedar, but the main requirement is that it is light and that it epoxies well.
Secondary requirements are that it is rot resistant and pleasant to work with.
Meade Gougeon made the comment that dense woods have more fiber and therefore more strength and stiffness. He constructed the amas for Adrenalin using Douglas Fir as a core. The wood should be available in reasonably clear, straight grain lumber. I weigh the lumber that I use and have found that WRC varies from 18 to 26 lbs. Ripping the Strips Step one is to setup your bench saw.