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I found 1x12 clear white pine at a local family owned lumber shop, just enough for the keel.  Do I grab it up, or continue my search.  I don't know how it is sawn, but they do mill work there and can tell me.  Looks like to me, the keel is the most critical for making a good wood choice.
Thanks, Bob

Well, Bob, now you've gone and done it!  After a couple of months of silence, you've asked "The Question"!!!  Seriously, there are lots of opinions.  The keel takes a beating so hardness is an asset.  Rot resistance is important.  White oak is a good choice, but heavy.  Southern yellow pine is probably OK also.  I used  Douglas fir.  Some have used plywood.  Sit back and enjoy as everyone chips in their opinion!  There will be no shortage of them, but in the end you'll end up using what you have available.

Dave

I sort of figured that!  Mostly I'm just checking that this isn't a huge mistake, and not trying to reinvent the wheel.  I did search the fourms, though, and mostly came away with what you said, build with what is available.
Bob

I used southern yellow pine for my keel but only because I had some.  I was going to say use whatever but then I read the Glen-L website boat building wood guide and thought you might like to read it also.  Here's the link: http://www.glen-l.com/

Just click on the wood and plywood information link off that page and then read thru until about page 4 for the white pine info.  It has info on a number of wood choices.  I wouldn't worry as much about the softness as I would the rot resistence of a wood since rot seems to be a big issue for keels.  I only say seems because I am no expert but if you search this forum for rot and keel you will see what I mean.

Please understand I am not an expert on boat building or wood for boat building.  I could advise you on grandfather clocks, cutting boards and shelves but those tend to have little in common with boat building.  Don't discount the advice and information offered on this forum though.  There are dozens of BYYB members that offer sound expert and experienced opinions that are invaluable.  I have learned more about wood, epoxy and paint, from this forum, in the last two years then I had aquired in the 15 previous years of wood working.  There's and adage that you get what you pay for but in the case of the BYYB forum you get a treasure trove of knowledge for the few minutes of your time that it takes to read it.  Now if I could just remember where I store this soapbox when I am not pontificating I will get back to sanding.

I used 2x12 spruce.

At the risk of starting this controversial subject over for the umpteenth time.  I will offer this advice from:
Glen-L  Suitable woods for boatbuilding at www.glen-l.com

PINE, WHITE
(Eastern white, Western white, ponderosa, & sugar pine)
25 to 28 lbs. per cubic foot, 2.08 to 2.33 lbs. per board foot
The several types of white pine are available in most of the United States, and grow in many sections of the country. While some types were once popular in boat building, their scarcity and the fact that only second growth stock is sometimes available makes most pine too weak and not durable for boat use. Decay resistance is moderate at best, and its use is best relegated to nonstructural interior joinerywork. These varieties are described to avoid confusion with the longleaf yellow pine type.

PINE, LONGLEAF YELLOW
(Southern pine)
41 lbs. per cubic foot, 3.42 lbs. per board foot
Grown in the Southern, Atlantic, and Gulf states, there are several varieties of Southern pine. However, the "longleaf" type is best for boat use. The wood is an orange to reddish brown in color, but all species are similar and difficult to differentiate. The dense heartwood is considered almost as decay resistant as white oak. The wood is strong, straight grained, and hard, however this can vary. The sapwood can be easily treated to improve its decay resistance. Often substituted for white oak.

From a long list of projects, some of which the builders used white pine for keels as well as other structural parts.  A significant number of them found that the material didn't hold fasteners well at all. Where fasteners penetrated the outer layers of the pine, rot soon followed surrounding the fasteners and other than the glue used to hold the pieces together, the joints were not well suited for a long lasting project.

Personal experience in repairing a large number of craft where white pine had been used, I would have to agree with Glen-L findings.  White pine is not a good wood for keels or other structural components.  Best left for millwork in homes and building of furniture.  Not boats.

But, it is always the builders choice.  But it is inexpensive.  Also avoid pine plywoods. They are fine for sheathing a home but not for a boat.

I would seriously recommend that anyone comptemplating the building of any boat take the time to go to the Glen-L website and spend some time reading and understanding the information presented on Sutiable woods and plywoods for boat building.  The material has been around for a loooooonnnnnngggg time and is widely regarded as a solid reference for builders and especially for first time builders.

I don't know what portion of the country you are located in so finding suitable materials may be more or less a challenge. 
You may find it difficult to find much of anything that is suitable at any of the Big Box stores, HOme Depot, Lowe's or others in the East and South.  You have to understand that they stock building materials for homes.  Most homes don't spend any amount of time with people cruising under power or sail down a river, or in a lake and then sit on a trailer for a few months exposed to freeze/thaw/refreeze/thaw and huge swings in humidity and temperature.  All of which can cause huge problems with some of the materials we need to use.
Most smaller, privately owned lumber yards can be a much better choice and they may also be a lot more helpful in helping you to get what you need. 
I've also found that in a lot of larger metropolitan areas, there are wood recyclers that often have some darned good old materials that are totally suitable.  Such as vertical grain lumber at good prices.  Old shelving from libraries, etc. are often either quarter sawn or vertical grain doug fir, spruce, white oak, mahogany or southern yellow pine.
May be dirty, painted or stained, dinged up and have a few nail holes in it but it can be great wood for our use.
Learn what cuts of wood make the best for your use, and those that could be substituted without sacrificing the best characteristics for a few tight knots.

If you are cutting stringers you can use almost any straight grained lumber as long as it is a good holding power wood species.  Try to find wood that is quarter sawn or nearly vertical grain if you can afford it as it will be knot free, straight grained and will have less tendency to warp, curl or cup on you.
Especially for the keel lumber.  Wood moves, as it drys out it will have a tendency to cup with the growth rings of the board.  (Look at boards used for decking and how they cup and curl)  They will do the same on wider boards in your keel and nothing you can do short of cutting them into strips and re-assembling them into alternating strip assemblies will prevent them from cupping on you and causing gaps to form.  That will result in places for moisture to collect and mold/rot to form.  You won't discover it until it gets to be major and an issue to repair it.  One cycle of freezing/thawing is all it takes.

Ideally you would want to use lumber that doesn't cup or warp for you to laminate together to make your keel from.  You can use anything you want, but if you have other choices, check them out first.  The material cost of good wood for these boats is the minor portion of the overall outlay.  Why not have something that is not going to potentially cause issues for you rather than less expensive material that is certain to cause issues. 
Personally I only want to build and enjoy, not build and repair.  Maintenance is going to be necessary anyway.  So I would just as soon have it minor and cosmetic in nature going down the road.

But then that is just my 2 cents worth.

It just goes to show that the easy choice is rarely the best!  But I won't despair, I'm sure the lumber yard I'm dealing with can hook me up with some suitable keel material.  They just had the white pine on hand.