boat construction materials

[beermunk]

i currently own a 14' boston whaler. i love it because it's light and fishes three guys pretty comfortably, due to it's wide hull. my project this winter is to put a "flatter" bottom in it (the current bottom has some dips and curves and a hard, LOUD surface when storing and running) and a bigger shelf up front for a pedestal seat.<br /><br />i'd like to say away from using treated lumber for the most part, because of the weight. besides aluminum, can anyone recomend any other materials to use? i was looking at that recycled plastic wood material they used for decks in some places, but it's at least as heavy as wood and almost twice as expensive.<br /><br />any advice is apreciated!

 

[petrolhead]

Re: boat construction materials

Are you talking about a new floor? I'd just use a good quality exterior ply and paint it, 9mm (3/8") with ply supporting webs glued to the underside (on edge), it should be quite stiff and light.

 

[crab bait]

Re: boat construction materials

there's a space age material that is very strong an reasonalbly lite weight.. it has high compression strength an flexes an loads an unloads pritnear forever without fail..<br /><br />this stuff takes paint very well .. even stain for that matter an finishes beautifully.. <br /><br />the only draw back of this product is it tends/can rot if not treated properly with several coats of epoxy.. an ALL penatrations including holes/bolt holes,ect with said epoxy.. <br /><br />this space aged product is plywood..

 

[snapperbait]

Re: boat construction materials

If you feel adventurious.. Here's a list of core materials for making fiberglass sandwich cored parts:<br />Nydacore..<br />Divinacell..<br />Klegecell..<br />Styrofoam.. (must be used only with epoxy resin)<br />Polyurethane foam..<br />Vinyl foam.. (see divinacell)<br />Balsa..<br />And, last, but not least, Crabby's favorite, plywood.. <br /><br />couple suppliers..<br /> http://www.fibreglast.com/ <br /> http://www.shopmaninc.com/

 

[bonnie0715]

Re: boat construction materials

Construction& Decoration trade offer directory and Construction& Decoration business offer list. Trade leads from Construction & Decoration manufacturers and Construction & Decoration buyers provided by Made-in-China.com.

 

[sschefer]

Re: boat construction materials

The posts, those both humorous and otherwise, are all saying the same thing. A/C Exterior plywood is fine and inexpensive provided you take the extra step of priming and painting it on both sides or coating it with epoxy. If you paint, use a high grade exterior gloss enamel. The shine comes from higher quantities of titanium and less talc. That makes the finish harder and therefore glossier.

For support, I would run a couple of stringers. My experience with bulkhead style supports has been that they are spongy. I believe it is because that boat has the most flex in the gunwalls. It would be uncommon for a boat to felx stem to stern, (aside from rubber rafts and zodiac's). Most manufacturers use the stringer method.

 

[seven up]

Re: boat construction materials

How about a slatted filler piece for the center hull and glue it down or fasten to glued-in blocks. Maybe teak to match the original helm, seats and sideboards.

I can't recommend any approach for the bow pedestal because of the fast rise in the bow elevation when jumping wakes. Better than six flags.




Enjoy

 

[jonesg]

Re: boat construction materials

If the whaler is in good condition its worth a lot of money as is, I'd sell it and buy something more to your liking, if you modify it and don't have good finishing skills and use very good materials it will plunge in value.

If you don't use proper proceedures and seal all bedding screws it will allow water into the foam and be worthless.

 

[Stoutcat]

Re: boat construction materials

Jonesg is probably spot on... At least here on Cape Cod, BWs in decent condition command ridiculous amounts of money...

Alan