Besides wood's obvious structural properties of light weight and strength, it has many other qualities that make it the ideal material for building boats: The natural bending characteristics of wood automatically work to create boats of pleasing and efficient form. Wood is both durable and resilient, making for craft that, if properly maintained, can last a lifetime. Wooden boatbuilding requires only very simple tools and much of the joinery can be accomplished with hand tools, which add a special element of satisfaction to any project. Thousands of boats of every possible description have been designed to take advantage of the properties of wood. Wood is both readily available and relatively inexpensive and suitable lumber for boatbuilding can be found in virtually every part of the world. Wood is pleasant and easy to work with and is both beautiful and pleasing to the senses.