no wonder boats rot out

[lime4x4]

Took the side panels off my boat the other day to replace the vinyl. Well the wood was rotted no supprise there. But i also found some mushy wood under my radar arch. Cause they only applied resin to the sides and bottom nothing on the top.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_wdfpFhXfipU/SuXTsa18MgI/AAAAAAAAAIk/JOqxL9wpyog/s1024/img_7282.jpg
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_wdfpFhXfipU/SuXTr6wcWCI/AAAAAAAAAIg/x_h3LMVJ1CA/s1024/img_7283.jpg

 

[Str8OutTha9c]

Re: no wonder boats rot out

Yeah when I took my skiff apart, I saw that they never covered the wood with glass.
They just glassed in the borders and left the rest of the wood exposed.

 

[allpoints360]

Re: no wonder boats rot out

Adage: If you restore it right, it's usually better than the factory did it.

I've heard this for a long time.

 

[jonesg]

Re: no wonder boats rot out

They just slap some boats together.

 

[Woodnaut]

Re: no wonder boats rot out

Plywood can be a great building material, but we all understand what happens if it's not managed properly. I probably overdo things a bit, but I don't use plywood anywhere on my boat unless the faces are glassed and the edges are soaked in epoxy. Any more, I just glass the whole sheet and go from there.

The edges have to be soaked in epoxy, or preferably edged in mahogany to seal out water. (See edges of transom below.)

 

[lime4x4]

Re: no wonder boats rot out

That's why every peice of new plywood going onto the boat is coated with epoxy resin. Atleast 2 coats. A little on expensive side but atleast i know it won't rot out

 

[lowkee]

Re: no wonder boats rot out

That's why every peice of new plywood going onto the boat is coated with epoxy resin. Atleast 2 coats. A little on expensive side but atleast i know it won't rot out

Consider, instead of 2 coats of epoxy, a layer of glass instead. The glass will hold up much better, add stiffness and even the thinnest cloth out there will be much more durable than two epoxy coats. Thin cloth will take much less epoxy than two full coats and may even be cheaper. A win-win, really.

My boat had the stringers directly attached to the transom, so when one was compromised and rotted, the rot would automatically spread to the the other. Brilliant design, eh?

 

[lime4x4]

Re: no wonder boats rot out

Makes sense. Currenlty making new seat frames and boxes. If they were fiberglassed it could be real fun trying to get a staple to go thru it. It's hard enough with just epoxy resin