This will sound like a dumb idea and everyone will say not to do it because it won't last but the hatch boards I made for Chiquita some 15 years ago are still in use. I laminated two layers of cheap 3/16" (?) luan plywood from the box store to make the panels. It is sold as floor underlayment and has a nice mahogany type grain. I believe it is made with waterproof glue, but no matter if it isn't. The trick is to thoroughly encapsulate the finished boards with epoxy. The exposed side needs to also be varnished for UV protection. YMMV. I just made a set for Monita last winter using a face layer of luan and a back layer of birch plywood. (I like the look of the luan/mahogany grain better than the birch.) I epoxied all sides, varnished the fronts and painted the backs white. This keeps the kids from trying to put them in backwards! A teak louvered insert from Amazon adds ventilation. The edges that slide in the channels have an extra layer of epoxy with graphite powder as a wear layer and to help them in more easily. Henry Monita On Sun, Sep 20, 2020 at 5:19 PM Edward Epifani <edepifani@hotmail.com> wrote:
Well, if you can find vertical grain, air dried wood, it’s doable from natural lumber. Labor of love, starting with looking for it. Laminating also doable. 12 mm exotic wood marine grade ply practical. I learned that flat surface epoxy covering quite easy with scavenging cloth over wet resin. Peel away when set, easy to finish surface left. Free hand epoxy takes some skill, maddening to sand to a nice finish. Ed
Sent from my iPhone
On Sep 20, 2020, at 3:10 PM, Dave Scobie <scoobscobie@gmail.com> wrote:
Jim:
Marine plywood is a better choice. Solid wood can Warp, especial at the thinness needed for the companionway hatchboards. Teak veneer is nice but sapele is less expensive and close in color/look.
As others have written epoxy the edges. Finish the outer/inner sides to match existing teak.
:: Dave Scobie :: M6'8" #650 :: SV SWALLOW - sv-swallow.com :: former owner M17 #375 SWEET PEA - m17-375.com :: former owner M15 #288 SCRED - www.freewebs.com/m15-named-scred/
On Sat, Sep 19, 2020, 11:02 AM Jim Sadler <jimsadler@jascopacific.com> wrote:
Do any of you skippers know where to get new teak boards?
Thanks Capt Jim Sadler SV Pelican M-15
-- Henry Rodriguez https://www.flickr.com/photos/heinzir/albums