Plywood selection

[gm280]

09THRT, I absolutely totally understand what you're saying about taking the tools along if needed. However, There are other ideas to contemplate as well.

How about instead of packing everything you could possibly need to rebuilt your engine out on the water, what about a simple backup kicker engine instead? Even a trolling motor could suffice. I mean all the possible tool can weigh a lot. A small kicker engine would be the better option and maybe even weigh less. And honestly, how many people have worked on their dead engines and made them go again? IDK but I bet it isn't many.

I can understand a spark plug or set, and maybe even a spare prop, but there are so many things that can go wrong on the water, that having everything covered with parts and tools would take another boat to tag alone. There has to be a common sense limit...I guess. JMHO

 

[Msky_Hntr]

So what would you use for decking on an aluminum boat? 1/2 or 3/4. I plan of having seat post mounts on it and I am not sure how thick?

 

[fishrdan]

I rebuilt my 18' Crestliner with 3/4 marine grade, but if I had to do it again I would use 1/2" 5-ply exterior plywood. 3/4" marine grade is very rigid and straight, but also added 150# to my boat... The boat was decked with 1/2" previously and I didn't like the bouncy feel, and now the decks are rock solid, but that extra 150#, I wished it wasn't there with a boat full of people.....

The 1/2" 5-ply will be much more rigid than plain 1/2" exterior plywood, due to the added ply's. Compromise between standard plywood and marine grade. Either way, you will have to treat/seal the plywood so it does not rot. Some recommend completely encapsulating the plywood with epoxy, which works great if the plywood remains 100% sealed, but I chose to treat the plywood and leave it unsealed so it can dry out. (Boat manufacturers use unsealed CCA treated plywood, banned stuff that's hard to buy)

For your seat bases, either double up where the base attaches (make a mount), or use aluminum plates below the deck to provide strength to the base attachment. My boat has 18"x18" (1/8" thick?) aluminum plates below each seat base, seen many boats torn apart for rebuild that were originally built the same.

Lowes used to carry 5-ply, but I don't see it there anymore. Here's a link to the 5-ply https://www.menards.com/main/buildi...r-5-ply-plywood-sheathing/p-1444452505667.htm

 

[09TNRT]

I've tossed the idea around about a trolling motor, would have to find a way to mount it to my bow though. Short of catastrophic engine failure I'm pretty confident on getting it going again but that's not really my thought. I've pulled the bed off a truck to put a fuel pump on on the side of the hwy, new distributors, new ujoints(driveshafts and front axle shafts), wheel bearings, water pumps, thermostat, alternator and just about anything else you can think of on the side of the road. Even helped a buddy do a rear end swap on the side of the road when his u bolts let go. On the water is a bit different though and my truck had a large tool box which I kept A LOT of parts and tools due to various off-road adventures, sucks breaking something in the middle of nowhere with no one around and no cell service lol. But the tools on the boat are more primarily for a plug going bad or something small like that, I'll bet trying to retime a distributor while rocking back and forth in the middle of the lake would not be any fun lol. All in all I'm just new to boating so I'm a little cautious I'll say.

 

[Woodonglass]

I wonder what the weight would be if you layered 1708 with poly mixed with Cabosil and glass bubbles for each layer. Would it be too heavy or actually weigh about the same as plywood covered? Interesting to think about. :noidea:

Several of the boat mfgs in the fifties actually did use half moon cardboard tubes for stronger molds typically used CSM and 2-3 layers of 24oz Woven Roving Sam Phelps boat was built that way. Weight would not be much more than wood core stringers

 

[seabliss]

Confused why would you put plywood back into your boat??? I used TRK 2000 it is a self leveling liquid core and has been solid after two years.. its worth checking out . www.transomrepairkit.com

 

[seabliss]

A little confused why you would want to reinstall plywood. I used trk 2000 2 years ago on my Grady it is a self leveling closed cell core ,and I have had no problems they are on the web www.transomrepairkit.com

 

[Woodonglass]

A little confused why you would want to reinstall plywood. I used trk 2000 2 years ago on my Grady it is a self leveling closed cell core ,and I have had no problems they are on the web www.transomrepairkit.com

Probably because of the high cost of the stuff You can install anew wood cored transom for approximately $300 and if done correctly and maintained properly If will last decades!

 

[Watermann]

I'm starting to think plywood threads are fast approaching oil threads for their differing opinions.

So what are you working on and do you have any pics to share? I didn't see a restore thread for your boat.

If it's an aluminum boat then the Starcraft section has volumes of info on everything to do with deck and transom replacement.

 

[09TNRT]

I'm working on a 94 Aquatron 1800. I haven't started a restore thread because I haven't started that yet, waiting for the boating season to be over then this fall I'm going to tear into it. I'm just trying to get all my ducks in a row so I'm not trying to figure it all out once I start. I asked because it seems like everyone has a different opinion on what is best to use. I'm wanting the highest strength with the lowest weight. But after some looking around in my area, I'm going to be stuck using regular exterior rated plywood. Everything else is either a special order or ridiculously overpriced. I'm actually on a tighter budget now than I was due to my truck being stolen Wednesday night. So it's going to be interesting this fall. Going to have to start walking the roads picking up cans to sell to get it done lol.