replacing bottom of wood driftboat

[hoist]

my friend gave me his old wood driftboat. It is in pretty good shape except there is some rotting in the plywood on the bottom. What is the best type of marine plywood to use for the bottom? I am new at boat work. Am I getting in over my head? How easy is it to replace the bottom wood? The boat was free for me so I have nothing to lose. I just need to know how big of a job this really is. Any info would help a ton.

[ishmael]

Any marine ply of the same thickness would do.

Rather than replace the whole bottom, if the rot is patchy you can cut it out and scarf new pieces in. Patch and hole should have a forty five on faying surfaces. Cover with some glass set in epoxy and away ya go.

[Donn]

As he's a new guy, perhaps the English equivalent of "scarf" and "faying" would be in order.

[ishmael]

Scarf--an angled, or sometimes more complex, joint between two pieces of wood or other material.

Faying surface--the surfaces where those pieces meet, or where any two surfaces meet. Particular to boat building, but I don't believe exclusive.