Gold Plate

[Doug Tutty]

It looks like we're going to get a boat. A 40' Rhodes Cutter, that appears to be Bristol Fashion. Some of the ports are plastic, and two are bronze. Since Jane is allergic to plastic and sensitive to most metals, I'm wondering if I can have the ports gold-plated (Jane's not allergic to pure gold); like the trim on some wood stoves so it doesn't tarnish. Any ideas?

Or, do they make ports out of wood with minimal metal?

The ports I'm talking about are on the sides of the deckhouse, roughly 6x12".

[Scott Rosen]

There was someone on the Forum who had gold-plated his ventilators, and they looked beautiful. And gold doesn't tarnish, to speak of, so you will save a lot of time and effort by not having to polish it.

Chrome is a lot less expensive, though . . .

[steadybrook]

I get items plated in gold for my saddles from western silver trim makers 'silversmiths'.I have also seen 'resephonic' large guitar parts gold plated,check out www.beardguitars.com (http://www.beardguitars.com) on a search engine and ask them where they get their parts plated.I also have seen parts plated from a local hardchrome dealer who does work on large equipment
like backhoes etc.try your closest hydraulic dealer.

[Bruce Hooke]

One option might be to switch to non-opening "ports" (at that point are they properly called deadlights?), which I have seen done with very little, if any, metal trim. Opening ports are not nearly as efficient as dorades, skylights, and companionways at ventilation anyway.

[Concordia..41]

Scott - Tim Searcy is the Forumite with the gold plate. I had the picture saved, but my boat porn file is out of whack since the hard drive spazzed (and got rebuilt).

[ 10-02-2003, 07:04 PM: Message edited by: Concordia..41 ]