New Bowsprit

[jimyoung]

The attempt to eliminate all top-side teak continues with the addition of the new windlass. Note Miss B's new fiberglass bowsprit.


                                


                                Jim

[spaul]

Jim, this is very nice. It would appear that you have been very busy.

Steve Paul

[jimyoung]

Steve,

Thanks for the nice comments.  I noticed from the "Hardware" section that you too are considering using a less maintenance alternative to top-side teak.  You mentioned "Plas-Teak or Trex decking lumber".  Let me know what you find out about either.  I tried to google both but found nothing on "Plas-Teak" and no information on if 5200 will bond to either. I tried a test strip of starboard and am not happy with the results there.  Once the "skin" is broken from shaping it stains very easy and is a pain to keep clean. Also nothing sticks to it.  Makes a great cutting board though!

My answer so far (Bowsprit and rails that hold the main sliding hatch in place) has been to build from oak and totally glass them and then awlgrip to match the boat.  I am not sure that will be the best way to do the combing pieces or all the smaller teak strips that adorn the cockpit area, but failing anything else that is my answer.

Jim

[spaul]

Hey Jim, give credit where credit's due is my motto. I'll get a piece of Trex, it's the manufactured decking material available in different colors at Lowes, Menards, Home Depot and whatever your big box hardware store is. THe stuff comes if a variety of sizes but again it's not longitudinally strong so it must be supported in some way. I need to cut and route some and stick it out back to weather in the sun. Also need to glue some with 4200 which I have on hand. If that works the 5200 is a no brainer, it'll work.
I'll collect a few html's and send them your way on Plasteak and Trex lumbers. They are made of sawdust and polyethylene and are very weather stable.
Time to go sailing for us here.
Steve

[spaul]

Strange Jim to reply to one's own post but here's a link for Plasteak, google or go through Yahoo or ask.com for more Plasteak sites. I remain confident that you or I can make these parts with router and table saw. Trex is same thing as Plasteak. Just google Trex or compsit deck lumber.

http://www.timbertech.com/Products/DeckingPlanks/DeckingPlanks.aspx

http://www.plasteak.com

Interesting stuff.
steve

[Tim Gardner]

I think you will find that NOTHING will stick to the polyethylene based fake woods available.  Polyethylene by composition has no chemical valence bonds available, so glue of any sort does not work.  It must be mechanically fastened to dissimilar materials or thermally welded to similar materials.

Not a good boat building material (unless roto-molded to shape like a kayak) because of high thermal expansion coefficient and low bending modulus.

Trex and the like do not make good cutting boards - Polyethylene grows bacteria so well it is used as media in waste treatment systems.

Just sharing.

tg

[jimyoung]

Tim,

Thanks for the up-date on the non-use of Polyethylene as cutting boards.  NOW what do I do with this 4' x 6' sheet of 1/2' thk  of StarBoard I have in my shop?

Perhaps I can make everyone in the family a set of drink coasters? LOL

Jim