boat floor redo

[amo123]

what are your thoughts on using honeycomb laminated material? e.g. - dina core in leiu of marine plywood or other wood based materials.? what are the pros thoughts? this is in a very water logged cc bay boat..

[alan white]

Plywood is easy and can be much better than the original build if encapsulated with epoxy. Older fg boats were built without regard for the long term problems due to sealing with polyesterr alone, or seepage through fastener and hardware holes.
There are quite a few threads here about the process of replacing soles. In short, it isn't the plywood per se, but the process that ensures a solid boat long term. Follow the right process using epoxy and proper methods, and you won't have to deal with rot down the road.
Others can weigh in regarding core materials of all kinds. However, plywood is about the stiffest and most practical solution for the average boat sole, bulkhead, or stringer as evidenced by its high percentage of use both in new boats and in repairs of old ones.
cost-wise, few materials come close for value.

[PAR]

I can get 3/4" Nida-Core in 4'x8' sheets for about $85 (you'll pay over 100) or if you like I can get prefinished 3/4" Nida-Core (18 ounces on each side) for less then $200 (you'll pay around 250) per 4'x8' sheet. Or you could use plywood.

[amo123]

PAR - so what is better? nida, atc, marine ply or anything else?
also shipping to 78748

[PAR]

Pound for pound, dollar for dollar it's very difficult to recommend anything other then plywood. Yes, you can use other materials but the costs will go up dramatically.

The problem isn't the plywood, as Alan mentioned, it's the application and techniques used in manufacturing, which are quite cheap and haphazard. The home builder or backyard repair person can put a lot more effort into doing it right then production shops, so you're at an advantage. You could do it just like they did, but take your time and do it right and it'll last a lot longer. The next step up would be to use better methods, which for the novice is usually the easier way to go. This means epoxy encapsulation and plywood. If done right, it will out live you. Use the search tool, as there are many previous threads on this topic to look over and learn about methods, materials, techniques, etc.