Which plywood?

[soba]

I have just been "given" a Mk 2 Albacore (Fairey).

The boat has some issues...among them some hull repairs that disqualify it as a candidate for a full racing restoration.

However, I am going to use it as a sail-trainer/picnic boat in the Sooke Basin.

The decks need to be replaced. I have a lot of different plywoods available to me. I am planning to epoxy saturate the ply and put dynel over top. The thing is, which ply should I use?

Here's what I have available, in ascending order, costwise...

Rotary cut phillipene mahogany (probably Meranti..)
Finnish birch GLII Aircraft grade
Baltic Birch marine ply (russian)
Phillipene Meranti (Hydro-Tek) (although it is a 4mm ply...)
Occume (Joubert)
Teak and Holly ply (would use without dynel...)

Can also get vertical core bamboo.....? Interesting...

Whaddya think?

[fixmyboat]

meranti unless weight is really an issue than use occume

[David G]

Eliminate the bamboo plywood also. Unless the supplier/mfgr. will certify its suitability. And even then, I'd be very skeptical. AFIK, it's all made in China & Vietnam - to varying, but slack, standards. The original importer of plyboo to the US, Smith & Fong, states that theirs is not marine grade. They are the biggest, and presumably the most legitimate and careful importer. Some of what I've seen - in a very fluid supply chain - has been just junk. Some has been just lovely. None of it would I trust on a boat except for maybe interior joinery. A friend did his 44' junk interior with it, and was pleased.

[soba]

Yeah, was only thinking of the bamboo for my breakfast nook, really.

I was going to go with the occume, nice to have that confirmed...

Just one question, though...re the baltic birch...on a 3mm ply, if I epoxy saturate and cover with dynel, what are the chances of rot? Won't that cripple one or two legs of the rot tripod? I only say this because I have some epoxied birch ply used as outdoor racking...in a very wet, rot prone area...and no problems after two years.

I'm still new to this wood species stuff...

[Timo_N62.9_E27.7]

Steer clear of the russian birch, the glue is normally not waterproof and it is thick ply.

The finnish birch plywood is always waterproof and has been used in boats for decades. Aircraft grade is extra thin ply and extra high surface quality (read: extra expencive).

Std birch is what is normally used for boats and it has proven surprisingly rot resistant as can be seen here:
http://www.gsahv.pp.fi/white/white.htm

[Andrew]

Std birch is what is normally used for boats and it has proven surprisingly rot resistant as can be seen here:
http://www.gsahv.pp.fi/white/white.htm

I like the way he "sent off" the old girl when her time came.
http://www.gsahv.pp.fi/fire/fire.htm