Paint or go Bare

[BDysart]

Getting ready to re-do the foredeck on my Chris 42. Some of the old salts around here advise not to paint the inside of the framing members or the bottom of the plywood skin. (Doug. Fir beams, marine plywood skin) They say it breathes better to leave them bare. I think it looks unfinished that way but then again, I had been thinking of finding some kind of pourous headliner anyway.
Anybody got a definitive answer on this?

[pipefitter]

Plywood isn't going to breathe much at all. There is glue lines between the layers that if even not totally sealed, would be much like a paint coating anyway.The only places they should be bare is where adhesive will be used such as the plywood to the beams. After that, it's just maintenance. Keep up with it, keep any leaks in check or keep the air in the cabin freshened to keep mildew away.

[paladin]

oh....darn! I thought the question was she gonna do body paint or go bare and I wanted to see what she looked like bare before she got painted....:o

[Todd Bradshaw]

Any time somebody tells you to leave bare plywood on a boat, you can freely substitute the word "rots" any time they use the word "breathes". It's a more accurate description of the actual process that will be taking place. You can probably also substitute "old farts" for "old salts" when specifying the individuals who gave you such bad advice.

[oakman]

The only positive to not painting the bilges is that you will never have to worry about the paint flaking off and clogging limber holes and bilge pumps. But, in this case I would have to agree with Todd.

Oak

[switters]

oh....darn! I thought the question was she gonna do body paint or go bare and I wanted to see what she looked like bare before she got painted....:o

bummed out my day too. :D

bare plywood bad, sealed plywood good.

[Ian McColgin]

Especially with plywood, if she's a good job and you want her to last, seal with CPES before the paint, inside and out.

[BDysart]

Sorry to disappoint. I know sailing naked is great but painting?
Looks like the consensus is, paint is good, not-painted not so good.

[Russ Manheimer]

White paint on the ply, beams bright if appropriate.

[Bob Adams]

Paint it.