boat builders and restorers in south jersey, I need some help

greg setter

greg setter

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So the motor board on my AA Blackjack was rotted, and it needed to be replaced. I initially thought that I could get all of the old wood out and use the pourable transom material to reconstruct it, but have found out for various reasons now that won't work. Mainly, because i can't get all of the old wood out that is next and bonded to the outer skin of fiberglass. I need to cut it out from the inside and replace it with marine ply the way it was originally done.

Where can I get a piece of marine ply around here? I need two pieces that are 12x18x1.5's. This is the simplest way to go that will at this point return the best result. Even though I don't really know what I'm doing, I think I can figure it out and re-glass in the piece from the inside of the boat myself. The original glass on the inside is much thinner than the outer hull.

Or, if somebody wants to do this for compensation or knows someone who will, I would like to hunt this fall......

Any suggestions welcome.
 
Greg south Jersey Lumberman's will order you a sheet. If you have a warm dry place to work you can be up and running. I used a small oscillating tool to cut out more sensitive areas. From the inside is much harder why not the outside? Wouldn't you have to work under the deck on the inside ?
 
South Jersey Lumbermans for fir marine ply. For Okume or Sapele I use Harbor Sales https://harborsales.net/. Harbor Sales will deliver.

Rick
 
Josh Schwenger said:
Greg south Jersey Lumberman's will order you a sheet. If you have a warm dry place to work you can be up and running. I used a small oscillating tool to cut out more sensitive areas. From the inside is much harder why not the outside? Wouldn't you have to work under the deck on the inside ?
Click to expand...

Hi Josh

The inside is the only place you would want to cut out for this job due to the way the blackjack is constructed. Also, buying a complete sheet would leave me with 80% of the material unused, so I would prefer not to do that. And if you came in from the outside, you would still have to do the inside.
 
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Greg, nhow about a resin board glued up? I used marine ply on my southbay, glued up with West System. Try a large marine yard, they might cut it for you.
 
Resin board is a a man made fiber board. Used in boat building. Steve Sanford would be the man to ask that question. Will it take stress, etc. Made a few shelves etc out of pieces I got in my travels. I used marine ply for mine as I had pieces.
 
Sorry, Greg and Rich - never heard of "resin board" - although a Google search on marine resin board gets me to Coosa Board.


(Note that there are different densities and strengths of these plastic boards - some are fine for transoms, others just for cutting boards....)



Industry standard now seems to be all plastic - as in Coosa Board - for transom replacement. Encapsulating wood - even marine ply - in 'glass can lead to rot over time. Maintaining the "epoxy encapsulation" is critical to long-term success.





This source offers smaller pieces - but still pricey and more than you want. I'm thinking you could laminate 2 pieces of 3/4" to get your 1.5" thickness.


https://www.boatoutfitters.com/coosa-composites-board?msclkid=b693da0670fe1c3e3f3ab989b6157814&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=TNT_Text%20-%20Material&utm_term=coosa%20board%20for%20sale&utm_content=Coosa%20Board



Perhaps a Jersey company that builds 'glass boats would cut a piece for you from their scrap pile (at least they can't toss it into their stoves - as I do my scrap wood....)



All the best,


SJS

 
Hi Steve

I also did a search on that term earlier today and came up with coosa board too, and figured that was the type of material Rich was talking about. I think your idea is a good one. I checked out the coosa board and it is very expensive for even a small piece like I would need. The two pieces of 3/4 are probably my best option like you suggest. And I am 64, and am unlikely to be using it in 20 years (although you never know, my folks are in their 90's), which is at least as long as the wood lasted. I'll call the place Josh mentioned and see if they have any smaller pieces. I also have a friend that recently retired from Viking and lives in Tuckerton, he may know somebody that can help me find some plywood.
 
Coosa board is great stuff and easy to work with. I would try a boat builder or large fiberglass shop and see if you can get a scrap piece from them.
 
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