SF Bay Area Marine Ply Prices

[banjoman]

My local place (Handloggers Hardwoods) sells 1/4 marine Okoume for $75 (4x8 sheet).

Is this the ballpark for marine ply?

Any other SF Bay area places I should call?

This is for the "Found in a Vineyard" Aeolus dory.

[StevenBauer]

Here I'd pay about that for Joubert, the Shelmarine would be closer to a hundred.


Steven

[Thorne]

What is MacBeath in Berkeley getting for either Okoume or Meranti in that thickness? That's really the only place I've ever bought marine ply.

Someone in an earlier thread (3 months ago?) was asking if anyone wanted to split gas to drive up to Eureka to get the better prices up there on marine ply, but I can't find the thread or Forumite's handle...

[Cuyahoga Chuck]

That's about in the ballpark but I would want to see a brand-name. The Chinese, as expected, have entered the market and will stamp BS 1088 on anything.

[BobW]

New Home Builders Supply in Sacramento quoted me $70.56 per sheet for 1/4" okoume a week and a half ago.

Berry Lumber, also in Sacramento, doesn't stock okoume plywood but told me to contact Eric at Capital Plywood. Capital Plywood is "the" plywood distributor in the Sacramento region according to Berry Lumber, and is not a retailer. But, I was told they'll let retail customers come to their warehouse to pick out plywood to be delivered to the customer's lumberyard of choice in the area. I just haven't had the time to visit Capital Plywood.

Bob

[johnw]

What is MacBeath in Berkeley getting for either Okoume or Meranti in that thickness? That's really the only place I've ever bought marine ply.

Someone in an earlier thread (3 months ago?) was asking if anyone wanted to split gas to drive up to Eureka to get the better prices up there on marine ply, but I can't find the thread or Forumite's handle...

Thorne, I've got to stop you right there. My middle name is MacBeath, I'm named after John MacBeath (AKA Black Alec, when he was protecting stills) of Inverness, and I've got to know more about this outfit. Who founded it? They might be relatives.

And by the way, I've been quoted about $66 for 1/4 okume ply in my neck of the woods. Maybe rents are lower here.

[Steve Paskey]

Thorne, I've got to stop you right there. My middle name is MacBeath, I'm named after John MacBeath (AKA Black Alec, when he was protecting stills) of Inverness, and I've got to know more about this outfit. Who founded it? They might be relatives.

K.E. MacBeath, a proud Scotsman, founded the place in 1954. The history is here: http://macbeath.com/information/history/history.html

It's best to turn down the sound before you click on their home page, though ... Motto: "It's a Jungle Out There."

[Thorne]

Today I visited the backwoods boatshop of Ed Foster, one of Northern California's more active small wooden boatbuilders. We discussed marine ply and he showed me some of his stock. He's building another Redwing 18, and doing a lot of custom work in the cockpit and motor compartment -- very nice!

He prefers Meranti over Okoume for most boats, and says that the savings in weight with the latter are minimal for a smaller boat -- plus the price is less for Meranti.

As for MacBeath -

[johnw]

K.E. MacBeath, a proud Scotsman, founded the place in 1954. The history is here: http://macbeath.com/information/history/history.html

It's best to turn down the sound before you click on their home page, though ... Motto: "It's a Jungle Out There."

Thanks. No sign that they are any closer relation than Jimmy MacBeath, the singer.

I suppose Alec Macbeath, my father's favorite uncle, was as far south as we got in Astoria. My cousin, Al Hood, a jazz musician, said Alec was his favorite uncle too. Alec lived with Al's family, and when he came home drunk and mistook the closet for the bathroom, Al and his little brother would clean up to make sure he didn't get in trouble. Alec claimed to have been a Columbia River pilot, but a man named, ironically, McDuff, who was a former pilot, told us he was sure he'd remember if a MacBeath was a pilot. I think he was an AB with a bit of imagination.

[johnw]

Today I visited the backwoods boatshop of Ed Foster, one of Northern California's more active small wooden boatbuilders. We discussed marine ply and he showed me some of his stock.

He prefers Meranti over Okoume for most boats, and says that the savings in weight with the latter are minimal for a smaller boat -- plus the price is less for Meranti.

As for MacBeath -

Price are going down. I was quoted $66.80 for Okume 1/4 in a couple weeks ago, and it's $63 something now. If I waited I might save a couple bucks, but by then I might not have it. This week I'll order 6 sheets of Okume 1/4 in. and one sheet of 12 mm. Meranti, and assorted other lumber, and get started on the skiff.

[banjoman]

For what it is worth,

I just paid $36.60 per1/4inch 4x8 sheet of hydrotek at MacBeath.

1/4 Okume was 60 something.

[redbopeep]

We're in So Cal, but last year when we purchased a big load of British Standard 1088 (Hydrotec) marine ply for our schooner's new deck and bulkheads, we obtained pricing from places up and down the west coast. At the same time we were in search of Alaskan Yellow Cedar for the overhead (our deck is two 9mm sheets of 1088 meranti over 3/4" t&g AYC). We happened to find the best pricing on tight grained, clear AYC at Steve Jackel's lumber place up near SF (don't know exactly where it is but the phone number is 831.768.3880) and they had, at the time, the best prices we could find on our 9 mm and 18 mm 1088 hydrotec meranti plywood, too. You might give them a call.

Best of luck

[Thorne]

Cool -- so you now have the ply!

Mike, give me a call if you are doing any work on it during the day, as I'm at loose ends right now and would like to see the infamous "winery boat".

See your PM.

[banjoman]

I should be home by about 5 today. The whole day job thing gets in the way of progress.

Come on by! You can see how crazy I actually am!