I own a downeast style lobster boat. A Jarvis Newman 32. Was a longliner,
turning into a picnic boat.
Currently there is nothing inside the cabin but the built in v-berth.
Here is an example, but the "look" is pretty standard in custom or
semi-custom downeast sytle boats.
I thinks its called Herreshoff.

http://www.boatingyellowpages.com/co...sp?currency=US
D&units=Feet&lang=en&slim=quick&checked_boats=1364 975&checked_boats=1551939&
checked_boats=1612282&checked_boats=1598436&checke d_boats=1480502&checked_bo
ats=1466793&checked_boats=1576848&checked_boats=12 59106&checked_boats=162447
1&checked_boats=1318633&checked_boats=1322097&chec ked_boats=1370398&checked_
boats=1600424&checked_boats=1277832&checked_boats= 1481467&checked_boats=1412
999&checked_boats=1528071&checked_boats=1626282&ch ecked_boats=646968&checked
_boats=1567615&back=/core/listing/pl_boat_detail.jsp&boat_id=1370398

wrote in message
oups.com...
Post a link to the Web Photos you describe, and we may be more able to
help.

What type of boat are we talking about?

Many 'production' craft have pre-molded fiberglass head compartments
that are 'dropped into' and bonded to the hull as a complete
sub-assembly.

MW

OK - I found picture of the Jarvis Newman head compartment, as well as
similar suites on a Grand Banks:

http://www.tinyurl.com/ylntjb

and an Albin:

http://www.tinyurl.com/ya9dat

Most likely this is Melamine (over plywood) or its close cousin
'Formica' (plastic laminate).

If you're building from scratch, you might want to consider an "epoxy
laminate" head compartment. By this I mean that all bulkheads /
cabinetry are marine plywood with (say) several layers of 10-15 oz
fiberglass expoxied thereon. Over this do a layer of microbaloons (or
your favorite fairing compound) and epoxy, then sand smooth. Apply an
epoxy primer, then - depending on the ammount of gloss you'd like in
the final product - roll on a few coats of (white) one or two-part LPU
or enamel.

Trim with your favoite wood door fronts / moldings (also epoxy coated)
and you've got an easy to clean "rot and delamination proof" head.

MW

Sorry about the bad link but almost all of the Downeast style boats have
varnished wood or white panelling interiors.
I don't have time to do it from scratch, never mind the skill or patience.
The high tech foam cored ones are over $200 per sheet!
Are there brand names for the formica laminate? Even a chipboard core would
work as it won't be structural at all.
Here's my boat if you're curious.
www.pointshore.com


wrote in message
oups.com...
OK - I found picture of the Jarvis Newman head compartment, as well as
similar suites on a Grand Banks:

http://www.tinyurl.com/ylntjb

and an Albin:

http://www.tinyurl.com/ya9dat

Most likely this is Melamine (over plywood) or its close cousin
'Formica' (plastic laminate).

If you're building from scratch, you might want to consider an "epoxy
laminate" head compartment. By this I mean that all bulkheads /
cabinetry are marine plywood with (say) several layers of 10-15 oz
fiberglass expoxied thereon. Over this do a layer of microbaloons (or
your favorite fairing compound) and epoxy, then sand smooth. Apply an
epoxy primer, then - depending on the ammount of gloss you'd like in
the final product - roll on a few coats of (white) one or two-part LPU
or enamel.

Trim with your favoite wood door fronts / moldings (also epoxy coated)
and you've got an easy to clean "rot and delamination proof" head.

MW

wrote:
OK - I found picture of the Jarvis Newman head compartment, as well as
similar suites on a Grand Banks:

http://www.tinyurl.com/ylntjb

and an Albin:

http://www.tinyurl.com/ya9dat

Most likely this is Melamine (over plywood) or its close cousin
'Formica' (plastic laminate).

If you're building from scratch, you might want to consider an "epoxy
laminate" head compartment. By this I mean that all bulkheads /
cabinetry are marine plywood with (say) several layers of 10-15 oz
fiberglass expoxied thereon. Over this do a layer of microbaloons (or
your favorite fairing compound) and epoxy, then sand smooth. Apply an
epoxy primer, then - depending on the ammount of gloss you'd like in
the final product - roll on a few coats of (white) one or two-part LPU
or enamel.

Trim with your favoite wood door fronts / moldings (also epoxy coated)
and you've got an easy to clean "rot and delamination proof" head.

MW

No one would ever use Melamine on a boat. It's heavy, has little
structural integrity and the surface is thin and easily damaged.

Having said that, someone will say they used it.

Formica is good, what you're looking at is molded fiberglass, which is
the best.

Home Depot has Duramine melamine in 3/4" sheets. I couldn't believe how
heavy it was.
I think I'm going with a 5/8" birch veneer plywood with a two part epoxy
paint over it. What do you think?
Is Okoume better than a birch veneer?


No one would ever use Melamine on a boat. It's heavy, has little
structural integrity and the surface is thin and easily damaged.

Having said that, someone will say they used it.

Formica is good, what you're looking at is molded fiberglass, which is
the best.

On Wed, 29 Nov 2006 22:03:16 -0500, "Jim and Becky"
wrote:

Is Okoume better than a birch veneer?

Okume is lighter and more rot resistant.

There is a Masonite type product that is much more
water resistant that the "temperd" Masonite and has
one side coated with a solid white coating that
looks like it is applied after and initial pressing
and the whole thing looks like it is "baked together"
in an oven.

It's pretty darn light and the white coating is very
hard to damage. It resists scrapes with tools, abrasion
by mouldings being applied and the neat thing is the coating
is baked into the product on "3 sides" so you can
just glue the panels up on the wall or ceiling without
any moulding, and just rely on any good grade of white
sealant along the joint to make the surface water-resistant.

But... for a few cents per foot you can get the plastic
moulding that allows two sheets to fit together and
aligns all the surfaces ( I use much less sealant
here ) and there are not exposed sheet edges.
I think the moulding is made so that it can align
two sheets faces ( like an "H" moulding ) and you snap off
one leg of this moulding and it dows corners as
well. They may have changed all the tooling since
its been years since I used it.

I think Lowes (like Home Depot) used to carry it.

But maybe you can ask your nearest retailer or wholesale
lumber company about what they have available.

I used it, as did many home bath improvement crews
did, to make 3 wall shower compartments in lower
priced houses. I never got a call-back.

The product I'm describing is just shy of 1/8 " thick.
The sheets were 4 x 8 or 3 x 8 .
I think at that time they were 4-4.50 a sheet (10 years ago.)

Best of Luck.
Vince Caldeira in Austin


Jim and Becky wrote:
Home Depot has Duramine melamine in 3/4" sheets. I couldn't believe how
heavy it was.
I think I'm going with a 5/8" birch veneer plywood with a two part epoxy
paint over it. What do you think?
Is Okoume better than a birch veneer?


No one would ever use Melamine on a boat. It's heavy, has little
structural integrity and the surface is thin and easily damaged.

Having said that, someone will say they used it.

Formica is good, what you're looking at is molded fiberglass, which is
the best.