Alternative to Marine Ply

[crazboutfishin]

Hi guys and girls,

I just bought myself my first boat (375 Horizon Dingy) and am wanting to build a floor in it. I have looked at Marine Ply but the price is a bit out of a 15yr olds budget. i have heard that you are able to use other types of ply but you have to do something to them... if anyone knows what ply, thickness, treatment and if your feeling generous, installation. That would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Crazy

[dnej]

Local hardware,or Bunnings,12 mm structural ply,used in housing bracing.Has water proof glue.
Use lanolin under,to water proof the timber,and same on top.Finish off with oil base paving paint.Must be oil base, because of the lanolin.
Had mine on for 7 years.Great way to go.
Alternatively ,carpet over the lanolin,but glue wont stick,if you are thinking glue.
David

[Wahoo]

Hi guys and girls,

I just bought myself my first boat (375 Horizon Dingy) and am wanting to build a floor in it. I have looked at Marine Ply but the price is a bit out of a 15yr olds budget. i have heard that you are able to use other types of ply but you have to do something to them... if anyone knows what ply, thickness, treatment and if your feeling generous, installation. That would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Crazy
crazy, try getting some black Penda ;D




crazy the way i see it is you still have to spend $$$$ on what ever ply you use no matter what, then again you might only have to add an extra 50 - 100 $$ for the marine ply, for a boat that size i would say closer to the $ 50 extra, there has been some good threads on this forum showing how its done and what they have used, or even on other forums

good luck with your new boat and try get some pics up

Daz

[bastard]

A mate of mine just did a bathroom in his boat with a product from fgi it comes in sheet form and he told me it was made from pvc,awesome product no rot no nothing,by memory a 1200x2400x8mm sheet was about 100 dollars.

[Marlin_Mike]

Hi guys and girls,

I just bought myself my first boat (375 Horizon Dingy) and am wanting to build a floor in it. I have looked at Marine Ply but the price is a bit out of a 15yr olds budget. i have heard that you are able to use other types of ply but you have to do something to them... if anyone knows what ply, thickness, treatment and if your feeling generous, installation. That would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers
Crazy

Mate send me a PM with your contact phone number etc

can get you new sheet formwork ply at the right price........i think the word i'm looking for is....FREE. Dont mind helping a young guy on his project. you just might have to do to it what dnej said to seal it. Formwork ply is strong water resistant..well it is used many times over to form up and have concrete laid over it. PM me like i said if interested

Mike

[Marlin_Mike]

Where abouts you located Crazy?

Mike

[Poodroo]

I just went through the same process with my little boat. Ended up buying 12mm construction ply which has water proof glue to bond it and then the real expense started. The sealers are the most expensive part. All in all for the floor I spent just under $200 which isn't too bad. I used an oil based clear decking paint to finish it off but I will still end up buying marine carpet and glue that down just for the sheer comfort side of things. I designed the floor to lock into place without screws and it is as solid as anything. To wash the tinny out I simply remove the floors. Easy.

Poodroo

[dnej]

Yep,you cant beat that structural ply for the job.It is priced right,comes in all sorts of thicknessess,is easily worked,ligher than some plys.

Crazy, to understand marine ply,it is just the glue that is water proof,the veneer is just veneer, timber, nothing special about it.
The main difference, is marine ply normally has a very fine finish to the face of the ply.
The freeby, would be great, but watch the weight of the form ply.It is normally 19mm,and may be too heavy for your project.Check with Mike,he will know.

Hey Mike,that was a nice jesture,on your part.
David

[Marlin_Mike]

I can get 17mm and 12mm David. Have pm'd him, will ring him monday arvo to arange it

Mike

[saurian]

Mike well done , the 12mm sounds about spot on for weight...
Ta

[dnej]

Mike,
This is great to see you helping this lad.

On the final day, when you have run your race,you will be judged by how many people are there, and how you are remembered.
"I dips me lid"
Regards David

[Eagle]

Structural ply is great stuff to use. It is much cheaper than standard marine ply but it does has its faults. If you examine the edges of the structural ply you will often (?) see gaps in the veneers . These gaps reveal voids where there is obviously no wood within the laminations. The void (hollow) will be coated with glue inside so the ply will still be waterproof within its individual layers. The problem is that the missing timber leaves a weakend area in the sheet. My own floor (factory built ) has these "soft " spots and the fear is that sooner or later, the floor will give way. If you decide to use structural ply, check the edges and count the number of veneers that make up the sheet. The very cheap plywoods may have as little as three veneers for an 8mm thick sheet and even a 10mm thick sheet.
Marine ply on the other hand will have at least 5 veneers for 8 mm and even 7 veneers for 12mm thick. There are also no voids in the marine ply. The more veneers in a given thickness, the greater the inherent stiffness of the board or sheet. Marine ply is expensive but to put it simply, "You get what you pay for". None of my info here will help the 15 yr old if he has limited funds but do check the edges of the sheets for voids. It makes a huge difference in the strength of the floor. Some structural ply is much better than other ply of the same type. If I ever get to building my dream boat, it will be built from structural ply that will be hand picked for quality. My dream boat? a 35 foot Wharram cat. (A thing with a stick and a rag on it)

Eagle

[crazboutfishin]

Hi Everyone, just putting a post on to say thanks to Marlin_Mike for generously providing TWO sheets of structural ply. this was a very kind gesture and i am very greatful. Thankyou again Mike. i will put some progressive pics up as i do the project.

Cheers
Crazy

[crazboutfishin]

PS, David, with the lanolin. is that Lanolin spray or Lanolin in a tub?

Cheers
Crazy

[dnej]

Crazy,
The grease,which is probably in the tub,is just like real grease.You can use it neat, inbetween stainless screws,and aluminium,to stop corrosion.Great to rub into dry aluminium also.
The edges of the form ply, will be your biggest issue,especially where you cut the ply.Rub some of the grease, into the timber,to protect it.
If you have a heat gun,that works great as well.
If you want to paint it on,mix it at a rate of 5 parts turpentine,to one part grease.It doesnt mix readily, so there is a fair bit of stirring required.
Add more turps,if you want a thinner mix.
Great stuff
David

[Chris Ryan]

NOW this is what Ausfish is for. Mates helping mates. Top notch Mike and Dnej for helping a youngster out as well as allowing those of us "not as young" to learn a little too!

Cheers to you both.

Chris

[dnej]

Crazy,
do you have a sounder yet?
David

[crazboutfishin]

Dnej,
No i dont have a sounder. Id love one but its all budget. haha. i am hoping to get one i just dont know when. haha. any reccomendations?

Cheers
Crazy

[dnej]

Ok,I have a sounder,that originally wanted 150 dollars for .It was atop unit in its day.You can have it for $ 50.
Dont worry about paying for it, just take it, and set it up,and you can pay for it when you have the dollars,sometime.

Being older,it is harder to read in the sun, than the modern ones. But does a good job,all the same. It is complete with transducer.Same as the one in the pic
Give me a PM

[dnej]

OOPS didnt stick.Try again
David

[Marlin_Mike]

Pleasure doing business crazy. good to see a young kid actually working and busting his gut to get something.

Dont forget the before and after pics so we can follow your project mate. The ebauty of ausfish.........ask and sure as hell someone on here will have the answer and willingly give it.

PS: If ya dad comes out one morning and his boats gone...................chances are Ive stolen it....LOL....;) :P just kidding. CRacker of a boat mate, would love to have done the boat show and fishing trip with you. Was up Caboolture way this morning so I called into Fisher Boats. Introduced myself to Col, met Max, and got the tour round the factory. Saw 3 under construction - no wonder they area great boat, seeing them being built. Do it once do it right they never come back is their philosophy. Great set up Col, nice meeting you.

Best of luck with the tinny crazy

Mike