In regard to plywood/composite construction, have any large boats ever been
built using this method?

I'm thinking about "large" to mean any large pleasure or commercial boats

As an example, does the Navy have any composite boats in its fleet?

Any commercial fisherman on a composite boat?

Are there any "composite constructed" Head Boats out there?

Composite construction might save time and money but you need to consider
longevity too ? Correct?

I have been told a real boat deserves to be kept in the water; however, also
been told plywood (composite) needs to be kept out of the water as much as
possible !

So ....it's difficult getting an answer in regard to composite
contstruction.

Anybody have any knowledge of these type boats/construction that have been
in service for more than a couple years?

"JAGJR" writes:
In regard to plywood/composite construction, have any large boats ever
been
built using this method?

I'm thinking about "large" to mean any large pleasure or commercial boats
snip

Yard down the street builds power boats in plywood.

They don't screw around with anything under 90 ft.

Detroit Diesel was paid $1.5M for a pair of engines that went in the last
boat they delivered.

HTH


--
Lew

S/A: Challenge, The Bullet Proof Boat, (Under Construction in the Southland)
Visit: http://home.earthlink.net/~lewhodgett for Pictures

"JAGJR" ) writes:
In regard to plywood/composite construction, have any large boats ever been
built using this method?

could try looking at www.devlinboats.com

as for plywood navy boats, the fist I know of were Patrol Torpedo (PT)
boats used in World War II (1939-45) using the waterproof wood glues
developed in the 1930's (resocinol and urea formaldehyde)



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On Friday 14 May 2004 2:06 am in rec.boats.building JAGJR wrote:

In regard to plywood/composite construction, have any large boats ever
been built using this method?

I'm thinking about "large" to mean any large pleasure or commercial boats

Google for "wharram catamarans".
They come in sizes up to 65 feet and many have circumnavigated.


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In article ,
weet ons te melden...
In regard to plywood/composite construction, have any large boats ever been
built using this method?

I'm thinking about "large" to mean any large pleasure or commercial boats

As an example, does the Navy have any composite boats in its fleet?\

If you're thinking that the fact that 'large boats' made in plywood form
a minority in the 'large boats' category, means that plywood or
composite construction is inferior to steel or solid wood, you're making
a mistake.

Every construction method has it's pro's and con's and often these are
related tot the size of the vessel. Small boats in steel are not good in
size to weight ratio, for instance. The advantages of steel begin to
weigh in for boats over 40 feet.
Solid wood is expensive to build and requires a lot more maintenance and
care.

I have been told a real boat deserves to be kept in the water; however, also
been told plywood (composite) needs to be kept out of the water as much as
possible !

You've probably been talking to some old salty traditionalist.
What he meant is that a boat made out of solid wood is best kept in the
water permanently. Boats made out of solid wood often leak when they
have been ashore for some time and are launched again.
The part about keeping a composite boat on dry land as much as possible
is no longer true, if it ever was.
There is a slight exeption: a GRP boat (polyester and glasfibre) could
live longer if you let it dry out in the cold season. It reduces the
chance on osmosis.
Plywood boats, sealed with epoxy (ideally covered in epoxy and
glasscloth) can live in the water or on dry land with no problem for
indefinite periods of time.

Anybody have any knowledge of these type boats/construction that have been
in service for more than a couple years?

There are plenty. Look at the boats Sam Devlin builds, for instance
(http://www.devlinboat.com/).

--
schippertje

"JAGJR" wrote in message news
So ....it's difficult getting an answer in regard to composite
contstruction.


It's easy to get an answer on our message board. We discuss nothing
else than composite boat building. There are around 50,000 messages
about that and more than 80 tutorials and HowTo files, some 10 pages
long.

See http://bateau2.com

Jacques

JagJr

I have a 1964 ChrisCraft Sea Strake, which sports a plywood lower hull with
the lapping sea strake upper hull.

I would gather, by your description this could be considered to be a "large"
pleasure boat. If you conceder 31 foot to be "large".

Because of the construction of this particular vessel, she needs to be in
the water as much as possible to maintain the swelling of the wood to stop
her from leaking.

http://www.wildhorse-webdesign.com/boat if you care to take a look

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

I'm thinking about "large" to mean any large pleasure or commercial boats

As an example, does the Navy have any composite boats in its fleet?

Any commercial fisherman on a composite boat?

Are there any "composite constructed" Head Boats out there?

Composite construction might save time and money but you need to consider
longevity too ? Correct?

I have been told a real boat deserves to be kept in the water; however,
also
been told plywood (composite) needs to be kept out of the water as much
as
possible !

So ....it's difficult getting an answer in regard to composite
contstruction.

Anybody have any knowledge of these type boats/construction that have been
in service for more than a couple years?

That's a pretty boat and I enjoyed looking at your photos. It's neat the
way you parked your truck by the side of your boat. It gives the viewer a
good idea about the relative size of your boat.

A question I have is this ...you say, "....which sports a plywood lower hull
with the lapping sea strake upper hull."

If the lower hull is plywood and the upper "lapping ( I assume maybe
lapping plywood strakes, does that mean the lower hull is sheet plywood? If
so why "she needs to be in the water as much as possible to maintain the
swelling of the wood to stop her from leaking."

I'm impressed about the longevity of your boat if it's truly built out of
plywood.

However, it's not a composite boat. My question is about boats that are
truly composite construction.

Thanks for the truly interesting photos and response and best regards !!

She has a solid Mahogany Keel, plywood sheet bottom and solid Mahogany
strakes. To keep the keel swelled up and to maintain the pressure from the
swelling on the plywood, she must stay in the water.

"JAGJR" wrote in message
...
That's a pretty boat and I enjoyed looking at your photos. It's neat the
way you parked your truck by the side of your boat. It gives the viewer a
good idea about the relative size of your boat.

A question I have is this ...you say, "....which sports a plywood lower
hull
with the lapping sea strake upper hull."

If the lower hull is plywood and the upper "lapping ( I assume maybe
lapping plywood strakes, does that mean the lower hull is sheet plywood?
If
so why "she needs to be in the water as much as possible to maintain the
swelling of the wood to stop her from leaking."

I'm impressed about the longevity of your boat if it's truly built out of
plywood.

However, it's not a composite boat. My question is about boats that are
truly composite construction.

Thanks for the truly interesting photos and response and best regards !!

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.