opinions/thoughts on composite materials instead of using marine grade wood

[D.spencer]

Hello all, I am getting ready to replace the floor/stringers/maybee the transom in my terry abf bass boat and was wondering about either composites such as penske board, or maybee something else ( what else is there,anyway?) Gads, I am not planning on keeping this thing forever but, for now anyway and the the thought of putting back in marine or whatever grade wood just seems like a waste of time as it would probally be in the same shape ( despite the very best of efforts) in short time (maybee I am overthinking this ??? )Anyhoo, certainly cost is a factor, but not the only factor. I was also thinking about using aluminum. The other thing I was wondering about was the foam- what can be done to keep the darn stuff from absorbing water? ( besides the obvious answer of glassing it in real tight) That seems to be almost a bigger issue than what materials as staying wet is worse than wood just getting wet then having the ability to dry out/drain. I thought about using plastic( to line the areas where the foam is) and injecting the foam ( somehow) but, that seems fret with several issues as well like screwing something down to the floor would allow a path for water to enter. what say ye?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: opinions/thoughts on composite materials instead of using marine grade wood

1st http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=283667

composites are heavier, do not have the structural strength, that is required. this has been beat to death here in the forums, do a search on the subject.

 

[jcsercsa]

Re: opinions/thoughts on composite materials instead of using marine grade wood

I used composites ,or PVC deck boards on my two outer stringers worked great so far !! I dont know how poly will work with them , I used epoxy on mine !! Td is right they are heavier a little , but they will never rot !!! John

Ps I dont totally agree with TD here the strength is in the glass and there is foam stringer out there !! Sorry TD I dont want to beat this to death some more !!! hhahahaha

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: opinions/thoughts on composite materials instead of using marine grade wood

Do a search for core products like Divinycell.

They are not cheap and not at all heavy.

It's what the expensive go fast boats use, although they still use ply for the transom. (there are transom core products also I just can't remember the names.)

 

[Mark42]

Re: opinions/thoughts on composite materials instead of using marine grade wood

You could cut the stringers out of foam insulation panels, cover with a few layers of epoxy and glass and it would probably last till the next ice age....

 

[JaSla74]

Re: opinions/thoughts on composite materials instead of using marine grade wood

I've researched this topic for months now. What I've found is that composites are either too heavy or two expensive. The stuff you can find locally is usually too heavy & doesn't provide much strength. The good stuff you find online, which is built for our needs, requires DEEP pockets.

I've pretty much decided on some good exterior ply (I may go with PT) purchased from a lumber yard, not a big box store. I'm also not going with pour foam. I'll use block which shouldn't absorb water like most two parts. I'll also incorporate some type of drain so when water does find it's way it, it'll have a way out.

My 2 cents.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: opinions/thoughts on composite materials instead of using marine grade wood

How long is not forever? Even a poorly done plywood job can last ten years, a good job much longer.

Composite cores for floors can be foam type products, some have glass fibers like Penske and can get by with a thinner cross section and skin than a foam only product. You can also use honeycomb, it can be stiff, light and strong, but again the price is high.

Stringers can be made from almost anything if you build the glass up to carry the entire load. Cardboard, PVC pipe cut in half, cardboard tubes cut in half, wood, foam, old diapers, composite decking and anything else that you can glass over will work. The down side of composite decking material is it has little strength, is heavy and somewhat pricy, so you need to build the glass up thicker which makes it heavier and higher in cost too, the other products are lighter and/or cost less. PVC trim boards are a better bet than composite decking, they're lighter and come in many more shapes and sizes.

Another method would be to use a 2X6 (or whatever size you need) as a mold and glass three sides of it, just make a thin, hollow, glass stringers that can be cut to length and shape, set in place, then glassed over.