Casting deck/boxes plywood choice

Shawn Linn

Shawn Linn

Active member
I am buying a 16' starcraft to make into a fishing boat for my son and use as a tender boat for layout and pond boxes etc. it now is just a large open hull, good news, but i plan to make a casting deck on the front and a bench in the rear over the gas tank and battery. If i resin coat "marine" fir plywood will it hold up? I will likely carpet the tops for traction even though I hate the idea due too muddy marsh and sand concerns.
 
Good morning, Shawn~

My approach always looks to a less expensive way to get sound results. I would use AC Fir plywood - my local, family-owned lumber yard has good quality stuff. The difference between AC and Marine is usually the inner plies. Marine standards call for no (or almost no) voids in the inner plies. And, their outer plies are usually AB. The glues are the same. I would not use AC for a hull but have used it for decks and floorboards without any problems. But again, the stuff I get from Wiley Brothers locally is better-than-average quality AC.

Whichever plywood you use, I would cover it with epoxy and 4-oz 'glass. (I have been very happy with everything from U. S. Composites.) Douglas Fir is famous for checking so just resin would not hold up over time, in my experience. And, an alternative to carpeting would be to use an anti-skid deck paint (like Interlux Interdeck).

You can coat the underside with 3 coats of straight epoxy resin - or, soak it with a wood preservative prior to installation.

BTW: I would take the same approach with your rear seating - but without the anti-skid.

Hope this helps,

SJS
 
The cover for the gas tank is a good idea, two piece would be lighter. As for the casting platform, I would check stability being it would be higher. As for glassing it, I would look into a marine paint. I decked over the bow of a 13' Whaler. Prime and really take care of the edges, Many thin coats. Lasted many years till we gave it to a member of the forum.
Doing another Whaler again for fly fishing. Have fun...
 
Thanks Steve and Rich that's what I thought on the plywood, but wanted to make sure. I am leaning toward a herculiner type finish for the decks, just not sure I want to sit on it while running the boat. Question two the all aluminum transom is caving in a little. My thoughts would be a price of 3/4 plywood glass covered, 5200, and minimal fasters and then paint it with the rest of the boat. Any thoughts?
 
I will after I pick it up on Wednesday. It currently has a 25 hp evinrude, and the outline of a price of plywood the current owner said was rotten. It looks like the previous owner transported the motor in an elevated position and it bent the aluminum on the transom, or he ran into something in reverse. It us usable like this but motor is really close to the transom. According to 2001 starcraft brochure the transom is "solid" aluminum. It looks like they should have put more bracing.I do not think it would be necessary to rebuild the entire transom, but some added support to distribute the weight Would be enough to fix motor attitude.
 
Steve, finally getting around to getting pictures to you. Crazy week. In looking at the transom from inside the boat there are two U channels in the motor area, unfortunately the motor mount is narrower than the channels and is pushing in the sheet of aluminum. I need to provide an area the spread the weight onto those supports.

the other problem I am running into is the flotation pods welds have broken away from the hull and need repair. There is also water in the foam in the rear corners which will have to be replaced.

View attachment floatation pods.jpg
View attachment transom.jpg
 
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From my observation coating plywood with resin (w/o any woven glass involved) might be long term ineffective (depending on your definitions of long term and ineffective).
I have 1998 built 23' w/175 OB that has a walk around small cabin. It has always been used in salt water, on a mooring four months of the year. It is fiberglas constructed with some plywood core support structure. Below decks there is a V berth structure with access for storage under the V berth. Everything you can see from inside of the cabin is glassed over plywood. Looking inside the storage areas some of the verticle surfaces were just coated with resin. In all of these cases the resin/plywood structures are "checked/split" and there is moisture in the plywood.
With what you are doing resin coating wouldn't be hard or all that expensive but I would still cover it front and back with some sort of primer/oil based finish coat. & for the surfaces you walk on an autobody store Herculiner finish would be fine.
 
Adding "stuff" to a 16' boat I think you need to be wary of weight as well as cost creep. I'd go with exterior grade plywood reasonably protected and be happy with something that meets my needs for 4 or 5 seasons. Think of it as a working prototype. Later you can upgrade to different configuration or even another boat.
 
I am adding a casting deck and a rear bench leaving the rest of the boat open, weight is not going to be the issue. I think my issue is going the be the holes in my transom and the broken welds on the flotation pods.
 
Re: Holes in transom - using 3/4 inch plywood, perhaps sandwiching the aluminum, anchored in place with 5200 or Marinetex and thru bolted with 4-6 fasteners should sturdy up the stern.
Re: broken flotation pod welds - a 25 HP OB strikes me as a lot of power for an older aluminum boat no matter what the max HP rating. For old jon boats and aluminum canoes I've reinforced with aluminum patches and pop rivits. For your application I'd find a local welding shop and reinforce with welded aluminum patches.
 
Shawn

Thanks for letting me know about this site.

I wish you luck with the project. We still need to hook up so I can give you the shop manual for the motor and the spare prop.

Let me know if you need anything. The boat has a lot of potential I would have kept it if I didn't just rework my other boat last summer.
 
Lew, this has been a crazy week. Two whitetail's unlimited banquets this weekend I have to work . I should have more time next week. I rebuilt carb and runs Great, But I think it needs a new idle control nob. It us stripped.
 
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