BBSB Plywood ?

L

Larry Blair

Member
I am in the middle of a Zack Taylor BBSB build (first boat). The plans call for 1/4 or 3/8 inch marine plywood bottom. None of our lumber yards stock either size. The only choice I have is 1/2 or 3/4. Will the 1/2 inch add to much weight? If so is there a different product that may be used?

Thanks Larry
 
Larry,

I'm not sure how far you are from columbus but there is a woodworking supply company near the airport that carrys marines grade plywood. Not sure if they have thinner stock but it is worth a shot. Or maybe they can special order it?


http://www.woodwerks.com/

Scott
 
I would say you will be happiest with the thinner material. Very seldom have I heard anyone on the site say they wish they built a heavier boat. Hopefully you can find the thinner stuff.
 
I have some buddies that felt that 1/4" plywood (as it called for in the plans) in the layout boat they were building wasn't going to be sturdy enough. They aren't much taller than my 5'5" and aren't overweight. As i recall, they used 3/4" plywood instead....perhaps it was 1/2" but i remember being shocked at how thick they went. Either way.....the layout boat is a VERY HEAVY boat and two men don't move it around 'easily' (there is no trailer for it, so it must be lifted on and off the tender boat when driving to where they're going to hunt it). I assume that you'll have a trailer for your boat so that may not be an issue for you...

Dani
 
I used 1/4" when I built my Devlin Broadbill. At first I was concerned about the sturdiness of the boat, but after the build I was surprised just how stout it was. Once it has the glass and a couple coats of epoxy it's much stronger than you think.
 
Thank you Gentleman. I jumped on the GlenL site. They have a page for area suppliers for boat building. There is a supplier in South Bend IN that is about 2 and a half hours away. There website shows they have 1/4 and 3/8ths. So I will give them a call. My lab was sweatin it a bit. If I went with the 1/2 I told him he was going to have to lose 25 pounds.
We dont hit much big water in S.W. Ohio. Mostly river and small lake hunting. I am still thinking about the 1/2 though. Just to beef it up a bit. Maybe be able to run a 7hp or so on her. I was just worried about the added weight of the 1/2. When I am lean I am about 230. So we are starting off with a bunch of weight before I add any more.
 
I can see it now....PETA and the Humane Society upset over doggy weight loss program.....using the TREAD MILL to meet the target weight...horrible duck hunters are abusing their dogs...
 
Ryan,

Did you pick up your plywood when you bought from Homestead? I was amazed at the professional looking ball park in his "back yard". He told me they don't play as often as they used to but still 3 times a week. A real "Field of Dreams".
 
Yup, pretty neat. At first I thought it was part of a park or something. You already get the wood for that boat you're going to build? If you're headed this way to get it, let me know and I'll meet you for lunch or coffee.
 
Larry,
You might want to look at the weight on Ocume plywood vs marine grade plywood. The weight difference is dramatic. I am currently building a modified version of Devlins scaup. When I bought my plywood I had three choices marine plywood,Aquatec (overseas mahogany) and Ocume. The Ocume was a lot less weight and it enabled me to bump up my plywood thickness as needed and not add any weight gain. Just an idea for you.
Drew
 
I am in the middle of a Zack Taylor BBSB build (first boat). The plans call for 1/4 or 3/8 inch marine plywood bottom. None of our lumber yards stock either size. The only choice I have is 1/2 or 3/4. Will the 1/2 inch add to much weight? If so is there a different product that may be used?

Thanks Larry
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Larry,

You need to figgure out what sort of plywood suits your build and your personality You say marine plywood, but there is a whole range there. The range of what is called marine plywood starts at material that is pretty marginal up to beautiful furnature grade stuff.

From my perspective on any boat that is going to take more than a couple weekends to build I woudln't build with anything but the best materials. First is safety, if you are in cold water in an little boat, top quality materials will perform better. Second, my time is worth enough such that I want a boat built out of the longest lasting materials. I'm on the extreme end, but not out of line with all those here that build great boats.

Fir marine plywood is not a very good product (from what I've read and seen with my own eyes), it used to be good, but due to changes in the manufacturing process it checks badly if not glassed. Glassing the outside of a boat is usually a given with plywood, but the effort to glass the inside of a boat, you are better off going with a higher quality material. If you aren't familiar with "checking" it is the little cracks that develop in the plys parallel to the grain - this is a problem because the checks let water into the wood. Painting or epoxy doesn't stop checking, but covering with glass does. It isn't someting I want to do to try to glass the inside every bit of panel in a boat, buying quality wood probably ends up the same price as marine ply if you include the glass and resin to seal it well (if that is even possible) and it for sure does if you include your labor.

Top of the line marine plywood these days is okoume or meranti in BS 6566 or 1088. BS 1088 is the best stuff out there, but 6566 is way better than fir marine plywood in terms of the quality of the veneers and the number of voids. Okoume or Meranti don't check like fir does. Meranti, is stronger, stiffer, and more rot resistant and okoume is lighter, and more flexible. Okoume is usually more expensive then meranti and 1088 is is usually more expensive than 6566.

T
 
Larry,
You might want to look at the weight on Ocume plywood vs marine grade plywood. The weight difference is dramatic. I am currently building a modified version of Devlins scaup. When I bought my plywood I had three choices marine plywood,Aquatec (overseas mahogany) and Ocume. The Ocume was a lot less weight and it enabled me to bump up my plywood thickness as needed and not add any weight gain. Just an idea for you.
Drew
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Drew, not that you did something wrong, but something to consider is that density of these plywoods relates fairly well with strength - in that sterngth and weight are correlated. By reducing density by using okoume and then upping in size you ended up with someting very similar in weight and strength as using a more dense and heavier , but thinner plywood in the first place.
 
Already got it - last May when we were in the islands fishing. Will be there again this May but won't be accessible, with the exception of Friday night the 7th, as we stay out on Kellys Island.
 
Thank you Gentleman. I jumped on the GlenL site. They have a page for area suppliers for boat building. There is a supplier in South Bend IN that is about 2 and a half hours away. There website shows they have 1/4 and 3/8ths. So I will give them a call. My lab was sweatin it a bit. If I went with the 1/2 I told him he was going to have to lose 25 pounds.
We dont hit much big water in S.W. Ohio. Mostly river and small lake hunting. I am still thinking about the 1/2 though. Just to beef it up a bit. Maybe be able to run a 7hp or so on her. I was just worried about the added weight of the 1/2. When I am lean I am about 230. So we are starting off with a bunch of weight before I add any more.
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No way you need 1/2" of the plans say 1/4-3/8. Although the construction is different, my 16' snowgoose with a 40 on it is 3/8".
 
Going to head up to N Oh ( thanks Pete and Ryan) for some of the 3/8 meranti . Seems like a great comprermise. The dog is breathin a bit easier now. This is # one of a few we will build. So I will get a few extra sheet s of Ply. This will more than likely end up the little ladys. I will beef up the next one for myself. I am thinking about hedge ribs, keel and transom - how would that be for beefed up?

Thanks agian All -- LB
 
Larry,

If you don't have GPS in your vehicle make sure you get a real good map. They might not be in the 'middle' of nowhere but you can see the middle from their shop. They are on a dead end road. Also, don't forget to look behind the row of pine trees, on the west side of the back barn for the ball field.
 
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