New Posts New Posts RSS Feed: Wood or GRP?
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Register Register  Login Login

Wood or GRP?

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  123 8>
Author
Bootscooter View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 15 May 07
Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1094
Post Options Post Options   Quote Bootscooter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Wood or GRP?
    Posted: 30 Dec 12 at 11:49pm
Obviously this isn't aimed at Grumph, but I was wondering about the practicalities of owning and racing a wood built boat theses days...
Have modern materials/paints/treatments made ownership and maintenance less labour intensive?
If you were going to spent £1K or so on a boat for Club and Open racing would you rather it was wooden or plastic?
Back to Top
Lukepiewalker View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 24 May 06
Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1340
Post Options Post Options   Quote Lukepiewalker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Dec 12 at 1:24am
Do you have a decent indoor storage location?
Ex-Finn GBR533 "Pie Hard"
Ex-National 12 3253 "Seawitch"
Ex-National 12 2961 "Curved Air"
Ex-Mirror 59096 "Voodoo Chile"
Back to Top
SoggyBadger View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more


Joined: 26 Oct 10
Location: The Wild Wood
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 552
Post Options Post Options   Quote SoggyBadger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Dec 12 at 8:11am
An old wooden boat is likely to be stiffer than an old GRP boat.

Best wishes from deep in the woods

SB

Back to Top
Paramedic View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more


Joined: 27 Jan 06
Location: United Kingdom
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 929
Post Options Post Options   Quote Paramedic Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Dec 12 at 8:27am
A wooden boat in reasonably good condition will be better for racing than an old single skin grp example in all cases. The water gets muddy when classes went frp.
 
However for £1k youre unlikely to get an frp hull that you'd want anyway! Get the best wooden example you can afford.
 
I have a bit of a theory that as long as you use the boat, or at least uncover it, regularly it'll be fine. It's when they stand for weeks and months on end that you start getting issues. Obviously you'll need to keep on top of the upkeep.
Back to Top
winging it View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 22 Mar 07
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3958
Post Options Post Options   Quote winging it Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Dec 12 at 8:38am
hmm, most of my boats fall under that budget figure, but the split is as follows.

wood = 3 moths, a classic 14, my composite contender
grp = kestrel, megabyte, prototype, ToY

what I notice about the kestrel(s) is that although a touch 'younger' than the classic 14, the hulls have deteriorated far more.  As has been said, the wood will reward good care and if looked after properly should stay stiff for longer.  If those kestrels were equivalent age woodies that had been well looked after the woodies would be better boats.

The contender - lovely wooden decks - and the megabyte - all plastic - were my latest 'expensive' purchases.  My main worry with the contender is damaging the decks with the trapeze hook.  I am confident if I do I can fix it, and I know the boat to be very well built using top quality materials, so it's pretty robust.  (Gosling built around 2005)  I am a lot lazier with the megabyte because it is plastic and I know it to be fairly tough, plus easy to fix.

I am planning to buy a newish racing boat in 2013 and don't expect it to be wood just becuase the classes I'm looking at aren't built that way.

Go for wood if you are happy to cover up properly and have the facilities and skills to do the reapirs yourself. 


Edited by winging it - 31 Dec 12 at 8:39am
the same, but different...

Back to Top
Do Different View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more


Joined: 26 Jan 12
Location: North
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1312
Post Options Post Options   Quote Do Different Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Dec 12 at 8:48am
Paramedic  Clap

For anyone keen enough to care, sail often and do Opens but needs a budget boat wood is likely to be much more rewarding of effort.
Back to Top
rogerd View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 25 May 04
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1076
Post Options Post Options   Quote rogerd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Dec 12 at 9:46am
+1 paramedic
 
Like Nessa I have plenty of wooden boats. To my shame the family gp has sat outside under a cover for to long and not beeen used. Now she really does need some tlc. You can over winter a boat outside but turn her upside down and raise her off the ground. Put a sheet over her but raise it up off the hull as much as you can. I have a piece of wood the length of the boat which is supported at each end. The key is to keep the airflow all around the boat and not let the sheet hold damp against the wood.
Of course ideally you want to keep her inside but that isnt always possible.  If she is in good condition in the first place routine care may be a coat or two of varnish and or paint once a year. If you get a ding particularly if she is covered in epoxy make sure it is dry and put a drop of paint of varnish on it straight away. There are some good tips on varnishing on the cvrda site.
I am lucky I have just built a shed where I can get three boats inside(one slung from the roof) and just about have room to work.
There will always be more work than with a grp boat but the woody will be stiffer and not as heavy.
Use a breathable cover and try to find ways of keeping contact with the deck to a minimum keep the bungs out and make sure she is bow up to stop water gathering in the hull. 
A word of warning woden boats are addictive. They have a way of making you get very attached to them and you may end up as a wood botherer. Wink
 
Back to Top
alstorer View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more
Avatar

Joined: 02 Aug 07
Location: Cambridge
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2899
Post Options Post Options   Quote alstorer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Dec 12 at 11:24am

With GRP, it really does depend on what that "P" is. Whilst it is cheap, that's really the only thing polyesters have going for them- they have poor fatigue life and are susceptible to water take up, especially if the gelcoat is damaged. Vinyl esters are better, but not perfect, as the soft side decks of the RS100s have shown. Epoxy is more expensive again, but  generally does have better performance with that extra cost.

Beyond the standard boat building epoxies you can get into some slightly more exotic materials- for instance Hexcel M79, which I've helped develop, would potentially be suitable for smaller builders- it cures very well at 75 degrees C at atmospheric pressure so doesn't require particularly exotic tooling or an autoclave- but as far as I know is only being offered at higher fibre weights- 1200gsm UD glass is not really that suitable for small boat building!

(end of not-exactly-an-advert-given-I've-just-said-it-isn't-available-in-suitable-form)

-_
Al
Back to Top
2547 View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more


Joined: 11 Aug 11
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1151
Post Options Post Options   Quote 2547 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Dec 12 at 12:42pm
Originally posted by alstorer

. ... as the soft side decks of the RS100s have shown. 


Is there a problem with them?
Back to Top
Daniel Holman View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more


Joined: 17 Nov 08
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 997
Post Options Post Options   Quote Daniel Holman Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Dec 12 at 1:37pm
Thought they were epoxy?
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  123 8>

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Bulletin Board Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 9.665y
Copyright ©2001-2010 Web Wiz
Change your personal settings, or read our privacy policy