Which ply should I use?

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  • timo4352
    Senior Member
    • Jul 2010
    • 2902

    Which ply should I use?

    I know.....another which ply should I use question?...

    I know I will be buying my plywood at Homestead Hardwoods in Vickery,OH. And I'm sure I don't want to go crazy with Sapele for 200-some bucks a sheet...
    So my choice is between Meranti Hydrotek @ $72 a sheet --- or Okoume from Joubert @ $89 a sheet. Both those are 3/8".
    Both are BS1088 rated. The Joubert also has the Lloyd's Register rating that the Hydrotek does not -- that should be worth the few bucks a sheet extra for piece of mind, I think.
    I have used their Meranti Hydrotek before in 1/4 and 3/4", and it is nice stuff. I have not tried the Joubert.
    The Meranti is supposed to be harder and more durable. The Joubert Okoume less durable, maybe softer(?), and easier to bend. Meranti said to be heavier than the Okume.
    I do not plan on epoxy and/or fiberglass sheathing the outside of my Ninigret hull - just Kirby's marine paint. Possibly CPES primer - I don't know.
    The cost difference between the two would be so minimal that does not really matter so much to me.
    The easier bending and the Lloyd's rating for the Okoume does.
    The better durabilty of the Meranti Hydrotek matters too.
    So what should I get?
    ...links to the plys in question:
    Buy Okoume plywood online. High quality Okoume marine grade plywood by Joubert. Meets BS 1088 and Lloyd's Register Type Approved. Shipped nationwide.

    Last edited by timo4352; 10-20-2018, 07:55 PM.


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  • Mo 'Poxy
    Boat BW
    • Apr 2014
    • 272

    #2
    Re: Which ply should I use?

    I really really like Hydrotek's BS1088 Meranti. I really really like Hydrotek's BS1088 Meranti. Did I just repeat myself?




    I also really really liked BS1088 Okoume when I built kayaks.

    The Okoume was surpringly soft. Like...balsa soft.

    Either way, I always sheath with poxy and glass. The few times I have not...have been cracking, checking issues.
    23-foot self-designed BW http://boatbw.blogspot.com/2016/07/summary.html

    Comment

    • Hugh Conway
      Banned
      • Jan 2012
      • 9162

      #3
      Re: Which ply should I use?

      Buy a sheet and test it.

      Comment

      • timo4352
        Senior Member
        • Jul 2010
        • 2902

        #4
        Re: Which ply should I use?

        So here are some things I have found out:
        Weight per 4x8 sheet okoume 28# -- meranti 46# ---------------that makes me pause a bit.........
        There are close to twenty sheets in the Ninigret so the extra weight does add up - to about 350 pounds extra-- ouch! That is two passengers weight.
        I don't think the weight savings from using douglas fir frames rather than white oak can make up that much of a difference.
        My plans call for Regina plywood, which I guess is Bruynzeel okoume gabon - best I can tell from my research as of now. Kinda hard to get the info from Bruynzeel when it is all written in Dutch.


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        • Mo 'Poxy
          Boat BW
          • Apr 2014
          • 272

          #5
          Re: Which ply should I use?

          Whatever you choose, don't confuse Hydrotek with Aquatek.
          23-foot self-designed BW http://boatbw.blogspot.com/2016/07/summary.html

          Comment

          • gypsie
            NSW Australia
            • Jun 2010
            • 8173

            #6
            Re: Which ply should I use?

            Not to lay claim to any technical expertise at all, but, given the choice, the Okoume sheathed in light FG, for abrasion, would be the way I would go.
            It's all fun and games until Darth Vader comes.

            Comment

            • Rumars
              Senior Member
              • Dec 2016
              • 1316

              #7
              Re: Which ply should I use?

              You don't really have much choice.

              1. Use Hydrotek and fit a bigger motor to get her planing. The weight increase will depend on your waste amount, meaning how good Atkins did the patterning. I doubt all of the 20 sheets will make it into the boat. You could actually calculate that from the lofting I suppose. Be advised that Hydrotek is a trade name, quality depends on the actual factory it comes from, wich is only identified by the stamp. This gets you into a weight spiral, plywood weighs more, motor weighs more, you need more ply for the bigger motor, etc.

              2. Use okoume and seal the edges with epoxy. I know you don't want epoxy at all, but it's foolish not to use it to seal the edges and glue the laps. They would have used a glue in the laps back in the day, why not use the best. Probably a gallon for the whole build. Then keep up on the paint for the rest.

              The designer specified Bruynzeel Regina Garant was a mahagony faced A/B ply. What mahagony and what inner ply was used back in the day I can not tell you. Nowadays it's Sapele over okoume, Suprahecht is the A/A quality.
              Hechtout is guaranteed against delamination for 20 years as long as the manufacturers specifications are met. (The importer should have them, they request sealing the edges with their own edge sealer).

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