TROY MALECKI
Cadet
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2006
- Messages
- 11
ANOTHER DECKING THAT I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE TRYING TO USE ON BOATS IS COMPOSITE. WHILE IT SEAMS A NICE ALTERNATIVE AGAINIST ROT IT IS NOT ALL IT CRACKED UP TO BE. PLEASE REMEMBER PLYWOOD IS USED IN MOST BOATS NOT ONLY AS A FLOOR MATERIAL BUT ALSO AS A STRUCTUREL INTEGERAL PART OF THE BOAT. IT IS PLACED THERE BY MANUFACTURES TO ADD STABILITY AND STIFFNESS ALONG THE ENTIRE BODY OF THE BOAT DURING OPERATION. JUST THINK OF THE STRESS A BOAT IS PLACED UNDER WHEN FULLY LOADED AND ESPECIALLY IN ROUGH SEAS. COMPOSITE DECKING LIKE THAT SOLD AT HOME DEPOT CANNOT BE USED FOR ANY TYPE OF STRUCTURAL USE. ALL DECKS THAT ARE TOPPED WITH COMPOSTITE DECKING HAVE A SUPPORT STRUCTURE OF PRESSURE TREATED WOOD. ALSO IF YOU WEIGH A PIECE OF COMPOSITE DECKING AND THE COMPARE IT TO THAT OF PLYWOOD YOU WILL FIND THE DECKING IS 1/3 HEAVIER THAN THE PLY. 4x8 SHEETS OF COMPOSITE PLASTIC THAT CAN BE BOUGHT AT A PLASTIC DISTRIBUTER HAVE TO BE ATLEAST 1 1/2 INCHES THICK COMPARED TO 3/4 INCH PLY TO GET THE SAME STRUCTERAL INTEGRITY NEEDED FOR THE BOAT. ALSO AT A COST OF $200.00 TO $400.00 A SHEET IS IT REALLY WORTH THE COST COMPARED TO PLY.
<br /><br />We know all that there are lots of artivcles here on that subject.<br /><br />Although a 1/2 plywood with, fiberglass embeded in epoxy, on it is a composite material.<br /><br />Thx troy
