Fiberglass vs. Plywood?

[DNV]

I have an older ( vintage 1978 ) cuddy cruiser...
the decks and some of the supports have started to rot out... what is the suggested ratio of wood to fiberglass?

Thanks!

 

[smellzlikefish]

It is a big task, but I have helped take out a deck not knowing anything about reconstructing a new one. All I knew is the wood had become mushy around a bulkhead. We basically took measurements of the original pieces. If the wood is completely gone, you can clearly see where the wood sits in the fiberglass and make measurements based on that. Then try to copy the thickness of fiberglass. The work I did turned out pretty good, the only noticeable effect was because we used a different colored silicone between the replaced panels.

 

[DennisS]

Check out some of the WEST (Wood Epoxy Saturation Technique) Manuals. There are a lot of epoxies out there but WEST is probably the simplest, though not the cheapest way to go. You want to go with epoxy, not the polyurethane resin that your boat is made of. Simple answer, it sticks stronger

Epoxy by the Leading Epoxy Manufacturer | WEST SYSTEM Epoxy

 

[davidsua04]

you normally want about 2 layers of fiberglass over your wood. the twist is that there are varying thicknesses of fiberglass, measured in ounces. 18/8 is very heavy (structural work) and lighter materials for sealing. thats part of the purpose of fiberglass, to seal the plywood so it will last. the wood is the strength.