Wood only

Discussion in 'Materials' started by daveseeton, Mar 22, 2006.

  1. daveseeton
    Joined: Mar 2006
    Posts: 1
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: SC

    daveseeton New Member

    Hello,
    Does anyone here work in wood only? Or are all boats made with fiber glass?
    Got some plans for a old Lap Strake boat. Want to build it but seem everyone only works in FG.
    Im sure FG is wonderful but I'm a woodworker not a body & finder man. FG is messy, smelly & unhealthy to breath.
    Again, Anyone build just wooden boats?
    Dave
     
  2. dimitarp
    Joined: Feb 2006
    Posts: 93
    Likes: 4, Points: 8, Legacy Rep: 19
    Location: Bulgaria

    dimitarp Junior Member

  3. sal's Dad
    Joined: Apr 2005
    Posts: 109
    Likes: 7, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 85
    Location: New England

    sal's Dad Atkin/Bolger fan

    You can find a tremendous range of resources on wooden boat construction. Start with WoodenBoat magazine (and their online forum) http://www.woodenboat.com/ , and some of the books on lapstrake and other techniques.

    That said, most new wood construction uses composite techniques - wood/epoxy/glass. This can provide the best of both worlds - beautiful, pleasant to work (mostly) and durable, low-maintenance.

    Have fun!
     
  4. Oyster
    Joined: Feb 2006
    Posts: 269
    Likes: 9, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 104
    Location: eastern United States

    Oyster Senior Member

    Yes to your question, and if you wish to gather some thoughts without the normal static, feel free to send me a PM and would enjoy talking with you about your plans and any boat thoughts you may have, free and unobstructed of the normal voices keeping the doom and gloom to a minimum for both of us.
     
  5. Bergalia
    Joined: Aug 2005
    Posts: 2,517
    Likes: 40, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 254
    Location: NSW Australia

    Bergalia Senior Member

    To echo Dimitarp and Oyster - yes, wood only. Now what's the real question.
    As a small aside - wood is the ONLY material for boat construction. Fibre-glass is for those who dabble in sanitary wear. :)
     
  6. legendinownmind
    Joined: Mar 2006
    Posts: 11
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Woodbury,TN

    legendinownmind Junior Member

    If you will go and look there is alot more sanitary wear on the market than wooden boats. Some people have moved on.
     
  7. Bergalia
    Joined: Aug 2005
    Posts: 2,517
    Likes: 40, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 254
    Location: NSW Australia

    Bergalia Senior Member

    Blasphemy, Leg End, blasphemy.....:)
     
  8. mmd
    Joined: Mar 2002
    Posts: 378
    Likes: 16, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 309
    Location: Bridgewater NS Canada

    mmd Senior Member

    Some people have failed to keep pace with the advances in wooden boatbuilding technology... :p :D
     
  9. SamSam
    Joined: Feb 2005
    Posts: 3,899
    Likes: 200, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 971
    Location: Coastal Georgia

    SamSam Senior Member

    If you looked around on this site you might find a section titled 'Boatbuilding'. If you looked around on that section, you might find a sub-section titled 'Wooden Boat Building and Restoration'. Sam

     
  10. 1stboat
    Joined: Mar 2006
    Posts: 3
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Maine

    1stboat New Member

    Wooden boat plan

    Right now I'm working on design that calls for 4 sheets of AC exterior grade plywood or other compostions with similar qualities. Yet, as I am looking through all of my possible places to buy such wood, the wood is over priced and in bad condition. Any suggestions on where I can buy quality wood at a reasonable price? Please feel free to offer places. This will be my first boat ever and I am in much need of some suggestions and tips for building a lasting boat.
     
  11. george allard
    Joined: Jul 2005
    Posts: 61
    Likes: 2, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 7
    Location: kentucky

    george allard Junior Member

    You might drive down south and look in the piles of wood left from Katrina.
     
  12. Brakeman95
    Joined: Mar 2006
    Posts: 2
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Great Lakes State

    Brakeman95 New Member

    You would have to goto a Lumber yard Not homedepot or lowes and not 34yard but look in your yellow pages for "custom wood" or "Plywood Shops" any more from what I understand there is no longer A grade P/W even though its rated that way I get A sided from a place in Canada near my house and another place here in the states but it sells for 25 to 40% more than the places that you already know about. I am sure if you look you'll find a custom wood shop near you
     
  13. SamSam
    Joined: Feb 2005
    Posts: 3,899
    Likes: 200, Points: 63, Legacy Rep: 971
    Location: Coastal Georgia

    SamSam Senior Member

    You sort of hijacked Daves thread, but maybe he won't notice. AC plywood is kind of a scam as far as I can tell. If you look closely, the A side veneer is usually real thin, less than a sixteenth inch. The other veneers are usually real thick and mediocre quality. Try looking at smaller, unfranchised lumberyards and try looking at BC ply. Different mills turn out different quality sheets, different lots from the same company have different quality because one day they are using good trees and the next day the trees aren't as good. When the ply is in the stack, you can get a real good idea how many voids are in the sheets and how big they are, quality won't vary much within a stack. Even at Home Depot, if the current stack is crummy but the one in reserve up by the ceiling looks good on the edges, ask when they think they'll be selling that and come back then for a look. Sam
     

  14. frosh
    Joined: Jan 2005
    Posts: 621
    Likes: 14, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 44
    Location: AUSTRALIA

    frosh Senior Member

    Wood is an excellent material for boats. Has many desirable qualities but can rot if exposed to water for an extended period. Wood with epoxy resin with or without fibreglass woven reinforcement is an excellent compromise. See any book on wooden boat construction by the Gougeon brothers who are also the originators of West epoxy products. Varnish or paint without epoxy will necessitate more careful treatment of the boat and more frequent maintenance.
     
Loading...
Forum posts represent the experience, opinion, and view of individual users. Boat Design Net does not necessarily endorse nor share the view of each individual post.
When making potentially dangerous or financial decisions, always employ and consult appropriate professionals. Your circumstances or experience may be different.