I do think the more recent the (timber) boats, the more forgiving they will be. There certainly are some weaknesses though that will still show up.
In general, quite the opposite - the large pieces of the best woods are gone, baby, gone. The skills for working with them, ditto. The tools and fastenings, same.
It's somewhat similar with house construction. "Dimensioned" lumber is smaller, and gets shittier by the year. "Engineering" really means getting by with the cheapest and skimpiest material possible. Yes, there is improved knowledge of (for instance) earthquake and fire protection, but the material quality will make your head hurt.