Plywood question

Paul Meisenheimer

Paul Meisenheimer

Well-known member
Looking to build an 8' rowboat that will see water a few times a year and be kept in the garage. I am curious about the group's thoughts on plywood types to use. I was thinking of using marine for the bottom and sides, exterior for frames etc. Outside will be glassed. Interior will be sealed and painted.
 
Build it all out of decent grade marine plywood. Long term disappointment will out weigh saving a few bucks. Been there done that.
Now that being said, my son built a one sheet boat (whole boat made from a sheet of plywood). We used treated ply, no epoxy, just screws, construction adhesive and paint. Three years later it still he still uses it at the beach, probably the last year, but he got his money out of it. But it was a summer "beach" boat, never any deeper than his waist and always warm water. I would never use it for hunting or in deep water.
 
Good morning, Paul~

For a boat such as you are planning - no pounding from wavetop to wavetop at Mach I - and limited seasonal use - good fir AC plywood could be a very practical alternative. (Normally, for hull bottoms and sides, I would opt for the marine plywood.) I can get nice AC from my local, family-owned lumber yard and just used it for both the decks and the frames on my Sneakbox renovation.

I am just now finishing a cockpit hatch for my Sneakbox. I used AC and put the "bad" (C) side out. This allowed me easy access to the entire exterior surface for filling and fairing imperfections and then applying a tough skin of epoxy + 'glass.

Here it is after its final coat of resin. (I have since let it bake in the sun for a day - to be certain of a thorough cure - washed it with soapy water to remove any amine blush, then sanded it with 80-grit. Another few minutes with the sander and it will be ready for a coat of oil-based primer.)


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Another idea - whether you use AC or marine - is to seal the inner face of plywood with epoxy BEFORE you even cut it to shape. If you roll on a seal coat and then sand it on the bench, you will make sealing and sanding much easier later in the process AND all of your joints will have better adhesion.

With the money you save (about $70/sheet hereabouts), you can buy some really nice oars and locks.....

I look forward to your project.

All the best,

SJS
 
I have used AC for such projects like Steve mentioned good results. I also have used MDO plywood. Its what outdoor signs painters use.
 
Better be careful with those AC plywood recommendations guys! Even though I built a bunch of garveys and tong boats out of it on Long Island and see no reason why it wont work. especially with today's epoxy to seal it all up with. My recommendation started an ongoing feud with a member that continues to pop up on my occasional posts! . Rich
 
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Kris, I now have a 23 hp Mud Buddy mini surface drive on it. Last time I ran it it was just me and my dog, ran 24.2 mph. I think I ran a bunch of stuff about the build on the united waterfowlers of florida forum a while back. Maybe you can look it up. Rich
 
Rich, I remember looking at your foam core build. Awesome.

This little boat is intended to be rowing only, no power. Probably only see water about 25 hours a year. I can get a decent AC plywood that has very few knots/fillers for a very good price. Marine plywood will add about $200 to the project.
 
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