water tank cover

[PEggermann]

I just ripped the cover off of the water tank in the v-berth last night.  It's 3/4 inch plywood with some type of supposed water resistant covering.  Anyway, it was completely rotten.  At least i found and removed the source of the rotting wood smell.  The tank itself is in good condition but the hoses will all have to be replaced.  It doesn't seem to me that it would be a good idea to use wood again as a replacement.  I was thinking plexiglass with an opening viewport, but that would be a pretty large piece...and thick.  Any suggestions or comments?

Paul Eggermann
"Fiddler's Green"
Compac 27/2

[Steve W.]

I also had the same damage to the wood that you describe. I made up a new wood cover and to my surprise It would not fit thru the hatch.

Ended up cutting off a corner of the wood and then guleing it back on. then covering with formica both side of the wood in the boat.

My boat is an 1986

[PEggermann]

My cover wouldn't fit either.  Luckily it was rotten enough to just snap a corner off to fit through the hatch.  I'll probably do the same as you as far as getting a new cover back inside.  Was it formica on your old cover or something else?  Did you put a viewport in it or can it come off relatively easy?

Paul Eggermann

[Steve W.]

I do not think that it was Formica, It looked like a cheap paper imatation. It was split and cracked and the wood was just starting to rot. It was glued and came out it pieces useing a power saw.
Yes, I put in a small Inspections Ports 6-1/8" o. D. X 4" i. D.made by  BECKSON MARINE so I could check the inside of tank.

[thedavo]

Paul. if/when I replace mine (I think I may have an issue with the tank) I am going to use PVC in place of the wood. I replaced all the panels in the V-Berth and main salon that have the long wooden strips with thin PVC and am real pleased with it. The PVC comes in regular plywood-size thickness as well, so  you will have an accurate thickness and something that will outlive us both. It is just as strong or stronger. and might even be a touch lighter. I work in a canvas shop and we routinely replace rotten wooden cushion bases with this stuff. I am sure would be happy with the the final product. Dave.

[spaul]

Hey Dave
When replacing cushion bottoms with this stuff how do you attach the cushion? I'm wondering where you get this stuff as well and do you know exactly what it's called?
I am curious to know why you had to replace the V-berth walls as mine is very nice still so I'm just curious George here wondering if there's something coming that I might need to check out now.
Regards,
Steve Paul
Nashville, IN
cp27/2  "IM PAUL SIVE"

[thedavo]

Yes Steve, the previous owner of the boat left the companionway hatchboards out for four months or so during the rainy season. Don't ask me why, just heard that is what occured from another source. Also the hatches leak, the portlight leaks and all this ran down between the hull panels and the hull. They began to soften in places. That coupled with the fact that the previous owner smokes unfiltered cigarettes and lived aboard for five years effectively nicotine-staining the panels. So while replacing the headliner in the boat with a white fabric instead of the factory tan, it became obvious that the panels were really going to stand out as dingy appearing. The main reason was for aesthetics as structurally, the panels would have been okay for the most part. So there are no hidden concerns you fellow 27 owners need to be aware of.
As to the wood replacement, we use pneumatic air guns to shoot staples into what we call by the tradename "Star-board".  The density closely approximates that of plywood so you might be able to get by with the ol' T-50, manual handstapler that you can pick up inexpensively at Lowes, Home Depot, etc. I do not do the upholstery where I work (I make the marine canvas products), but I'm sure a quarter to three-eighths of an inch staple will do the trick. We get our artificial wood material from a special supplier for cost effectiveness. However, I seem to recall that this too can be obtained from the Home
Depot, et al, suppliers. If that is a no go, maybe lumber yards up your way are starting to catch the drift. Specific names for the stuff elude me at the moment since I dont work with it, but I will try to remember to find out at work and post the info.  Dave.

[spaul]

Dave,
Thanks for the quick reply. I fully understand and appreciate knowing the confidence in our boats is still there for all of us. Sounds like you did the right thing and will appreciate your work every time you drop below.
I know people just do the darndest things to themselves don't they?
I understand about Starboard and we do have a source here in Indy. I have "tools", they are a right of passage, aren't they?
I also had porthole leakage and replaced the port rubbers. You still have to have them pretty tight to keep the water out. A kerosene lamp wick stuck through the screen at the  bottom helps wick out the puddles that develop there. Old seamans trick you may already enjoy. I just don't understand why the wonderful bronze port lights didn't have drains but I'll get over it. I love it when owners are proud of their boats and take care of them as most of us do.
Thanks for the reply again and good sailing.
steve

[thedavo]

Hey Steve, I love that tip with the wick at the base of the portlights! that is  a good one. Speaking of portilights, I just tried something really cool. I have had this lil powder coating machine that I used small parts on an old Kawasaki 750 2-stroke motorcycle that I restored. Well my portlights are all tarnished just like everyone elses and while I took one out and polished it back to new, it had begun tarnishing just sitting in the garage over just a one week period. I was pretty well bummed with that and considered some sort of lacquer to coat them with and remembered that I have clear powder paint. I tried it on a piece, left it outside beginning about a month or so ago and it looks exactly the same! I'm am hopeful that I might have found the secret to never having to polish the buggers ever again. If anything goes awry and proves to be a mistake, I will certainly post the info. By the way, the powder coater is available through Eastwood Painting Equipment and now I think they have basically the same thing at Northern Tool. A simple FYI to send your way. Thanks again for the wick tip! Dave.

[spaul]

One good tip deserves another. Fantastic. Just keep us all informed, that may be a wonderful idea. How much trouble was it removing the ports and polishing them? Is the clear powder coating UV stabilized? If you aren't sure then I'm guessing you'll know soon in that Florida Sun.
You know this exact thing is what these forums are all about. What one needs another knows. I love it.
Steve

[thedavo]

okay fellas, got the 411 on just what we use at work for the wood replacement on rotted cushion bases. We use two type of materials. One is the afore mentioned Starboard which is the type of material that they make artificial two by fours out of.  It reminds me of the type of plastic that they use on some storage hatches that are black or white in color. It has a sort of pattern molded into the plastic. At least the stuff we use at work does. The other material, which is the one I will use when the time comes, is called Centrex. It is PVC and although hard to describe, has more of the characteristics of wood as far as sanding etc. goes. To sand the Starboard is of a consistency that would not accept sanding well. Centrex on the other hand, would. If you have the choice. you will have a cleaner edge using the Centrex as the the cutting of the Starboard would leave, uh, dont know how to describe it but melted plastice edges if you use a jig or sabre saw. When I do mine, I will use Centrex. I dont know about the availability of the stuff where  you may be, but you have Internet access and might be able to locate some near you. Either choice in my opinion would be light years ahead of using wood again. Hope this helps.......Dave.

[spaul]

Hi Dave,
The Starboard products are pure polyethylene I believe and have a "stippled" surface for some reason. Kind of bumpy in a pattern, probably easier to mold this in than make them smooth. The Trex products are like the new synthetic decking materials. They are composed of sawdust and polyethylene which has been recycled like milk bottles and plastic bags.
It appears the Starboard is like styrene for cutting. You must cut with water and keep it slow and cool or it just melts. I believe the Trex products have enough wood dust to prevent melting at normal cutting speeds.
I've looked into a product called "Plast-teak" which I believe is just simply a Trex product. This product can be shaped and routed just like wood. WHile in Boston picking up my cp27 the guy in the next stall to my boat had an older 40 footer of some brand and was removing all his teak and replacing with solid trex decking material. He had a friend crew of buddies working their behinds off and I'll tell you it was looking pretty good. The only problem I have with this material is the ability to glue it. Now after some looking 3M has a product that will glue Starboard and I'm betting it will also glue Trex. Need to check that out.
I looked up the powder coating equipment. Pretty interesting to me. I'm an old spray painter and this looks really cool as long as you're coating metal products. Do they make a conductive primer where you could paint non-metallic objects as well?
Regards,
Steve Paul

[thedavo]

Steve, I have to agree with your assessment of the various plastic compositions. Concerning the ability to affix a material with an adhesive, I would once again suggest the Centrex. Being PVC, it readily accepts adhesives like that used in sprinkler systems here in Florida. However, when I redo my water blatter cover I am probably going to affix the cover with either 3M 5200 (I might be wrong on the manufacturer) or and more likely, use the 3M 4200.  5200 would really make it difficult to take back up the blatter cover if you ever had to. The 4200 is far and away more forgiving where a semi-permanent seal is concerned.
As to the powdercoating question, I have only used the coater on metallic pieces. I have not heard of a metallic based primer to conduct the electrical current used to attract the oppositely-charged paint but that is not to say that it does not exist. Curing powder requires a temperature of between 350 degrees and 400 degrees (depending on the color) in order to allow the powder to "flow out" (melt). Right off the bat, alot of materials are eliminated for that reason.  The Eastwood site has a forum exactly like this one that would be able answer this question. If you ever check it out, I would be curious to know your findings. Dave.

[spaul]

These are great posts doing exactly what I believe the forum exists for.
I agree with your premis. If I wanted to coat something non-metallic odds are it would melt  before the coating powder did. Duh, didn't think of that until you mentioned it.
I'm re-doing my teak and plan to use 4200 . Most of my teak is applied with screws but bedded with 5200. Ugh!
Thanks for the great tips. I'm actually going to buy a single piece of Trex and get out the router and router table just to see what I can do with it. Many folks in our Marina might prefer going to this stuff rather than fighting the Teak maintenance each year.
Good sailing,
Steve