Thank you; that's interesting. And the plywood bottom survived after all
these years. I now have more respect for plywood as a boat building
material.

Intuition tells me the hull wasn't sheathed in glass/epoxy ...or was it ?

Also, I imagine a boat its size remained in the water during the boating
season instead of being "trailered".

I've read a lot about the need to keep a plywood boat out of the water, as
much as possible, in order to expect any longevity.

Maybe this boat is an aberration but I hope not. I'm
considering to build a composite plywood hull and will keep docked it in
salt water for six months out of the year.

I was told this wouldn't work. I was told to put it in at the beginning of
the day and take it out at the end.

I'm starting to feel a little more confident in plywood composite hulls.

Actually, this boat was in the water from the first launch until about 5
years ago when it started the refinishing...(I think 354 years in the water
is a good testament) I just bought it a few months ago and haven't gotten
it into the water yet, but did put a garden hose into it last weekend to see
if I would have reason to worry when I re-launch her this summer... Well
lets just say I am planning on extra bilge pumps... She is showing a few
leaks!!!

Hoping she swells up fast!!!


"JAGJR" wrote in message
...
Thank you; that's interesting. And the plywood bottom survived after all
these years. I now have more respect for plywood as a boat building
material.

Intuition tells me the hull wasn't sheathed in glass/epoxy ...or was it ?

Also, I imagine a boat its size remained in the water during the boating
season instead of being "trailered".

I've read a lot about the need to keep a plywood boat out of the water, as
much as possible, in order to expect any longevity.

Maybe this boat is an aberration but I hope not. I'm
considering to build a composite plywood hull and will keep docked it in
salt water for six months out of the year.

I was told this wouldn't work. I was told to put it in at the beginning
of
the day and take it out at the end.

I'm starting to feel a little more confident in plywood composite hulls.

The Thunderbird sailboat was designed in the 1950's and still
has a strong class going in the Us Pacific Northwest. There
are still many plywood Thunderbirds out there. These boats live
in the water year round.


"JAGJR" wrote in message
...
In regard to plywood/composite construction, have any large boats ever
been
built using this method?

"Brian D" wrote in message
news:y_rpc.54753$xw3.3275430@attbi_s04...
In the book Devlin's Boat Building, Sam Devlin states that boats over 90'
have been built using these methods.

Brian

When I think of Plywood composite boats I think of plywood as the core
material for a fiberglass lay up. Plywood is stronger than most cores and
this strength is probably use in the structure of the boat so it is
important that it remain dry an rot free. Not easy things to do over a long
period of time. As long as it retains its structural integrity you can dry
out cores by drilling holes ever few inches and vacuum bagging the hull
until is stops loosing weight. The hot summer sun will help.

As a core material plywood is a pretty good one it is inexpensive, strong,
reasonably easy to work and not subject to catastrophic failure that plagues
some other core materials when they encounter slamming loads.

Even better is veneer that can be treated with a borate solution to rot
proof it and laid up with epoxy to water proof it for a lighter, stronger
more expensive and more durable core.

Gordon

Is there a source(s) I can go to to learn how to treat a veneer with a
borate solution?

On Sun, 16 May 2004 00:08:45 GMT, wrote:

Actually, this boat was in the water from the first launch until about 5
years ago when it started the refinishing...(I think 354 years in the water
is a good testament)

Dude! That beats the USS CONSTITUTION by about 140 years!! Kewl!!

- Rick "I only make fun of tpyos that are truly funny" Tyler

--
"Ignorant voracity -- a wingless vulture -- can soar only into the
depths of ignominy." Patrick O'Brian

Oppps... I missed on that one!!!

Was supposed to be 35 years

"Rick Tyler" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 16 May 2004 00:08:45 GMT, wrote:

Actually, this boat was in the water from the first launch until about 5
years ago when it started the refinishing...(I think 354 years in the
water
is a good testament)

Dude! That beats the USS CONSTITUTION by about 140 years!! Kewl!!

- Rick "I only make fun of tpyos that are truly funny" Tyler

--
"Ignorant voracity -- a wingless vulture -- can soar only into the
depths of ignominy." Patrick O'Brian

On Mon, 24 May 2004 16:54:48 GMT, vaguely
proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:
remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Oppps... I missed on that one!!!

Was supposed to be 35 years


You have to be very careful I thought you meant 3_4_ years and I was
totally confused about why you would think that was so wonderful! G


"Rick Tyler" wrote in message
.. .
On Sun, 16 May 2004 00:08:45 GMT, wrote:

Actually, this boat was in the water from the first launch until about 5
years ago when it started the refinishing...(I think 354 years in the
water
is a good testament)

Dude! That beats the USS CONSTITUTION by about 140 years!! Kewl!!

- Rick "I only make fun of tpyos that are truly funny" Tyler

--
"Ignorant voracity -- a wingless vulture -- can soar only into the
depths of ignominy." Patrick O'Brian


************************************************** *****

Sometimes in a workplace you find snot on the wall of
the toilet cubicles. You feel "What sort of twisted
child would do this?"....the internet seems full of
them. It's very sad

Sorry, it wasn't my intention to confuse anyone!!! G

"Old Nick" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 24 May 2004 16:54:48 GMT, vaguely
proposed a theory
......and in reply I say!:
remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Oppps... I missed on that one!!!

Was supposed to be 35 years


You have to be very careful I thought you meant 3_4_ years and I was
totally confused about why you would think that was so wonderful! G

"Gordon Couger" wrote in message news:yMNpc.31057$bS1.19364@okepread02...
"Brian D" wrote in message
news:y_rpc.54753$xw3.3275430@attbi_s04...
In the book Devlin's Boat Building, Sam Devlin states that boats over 90'
have been built using these methods.

Brian

When I think of Plywood composite boats I think of plywood as the core
material for a fiberglass lay up. Plywood is stronger than most cores and
this strength is probably use in the structure of the boat so it is
important that it remain dry an rot free. Not easy things to do over a long
period of time.

Good thinking: Devlin designs plywood boats glued together with epoxy
and glass. Plywood cored boats with epoxy/glass skins are very
different. It is correct that in small boats, we use the properties of
the core. It is an hybrid material, between plywood and sandwich.
About large ones: once you get to 25-28', a foam core is a better
choice. Lighter, stronger, no risk of rot.
That is why se stop using plywood in that size range.

Jacques from bateau.com