GRP sheet sourcing

[catalac08]

I need to make a garage for the sliding hatch to join to a a second hand hard top, that had the hatch cover cut off.
Best way perhaps would be to make a mould and laminate one but I want to launch the boat asap and I have decided that fabricating one from GRP sheet would be quicker.
I need a sheet about 5mm thick and 6/7ft x3ft but could do 8x4ft and have some new floor stips for the inflatable but i am having difficulty sourcing this in the NW of Uk - any ideas where I could obtain this material, preferably with a gelcoat finish on one side?

 

[Norman_E]

This company are based in Wigan.
EDIT. A Google search for GRP sheet found it, and several other suppliers.

 

[Bajansailor]

That is going to be a pretty solid GRP sheet at 5 mm thick!
If you can't find a suitable sheet 'off the shelf', maybe have a bash at making up a sheet yourself?
I use a sheet of glossy white Formica / Arborite as a nice mould surface - it stiffens up if it is resting on a sheet of stout plywood.
For 5 mm thick, that could be perhaps 4 layers of stitchmat - this would be a lot stronger than eg just using chopped strand mat.

Would it be worthwhile using a foam core for extra stiffness? And say 2 mm of fibreglass each side of the core?
Useful if heavy crew are jumping up and down on it when eg stowing the mainsail (if it is above your hatch garage).

BTW, if you want to make up fibreglass sheets that are longer than 8', a good 'one piece' mould surface can be obtained using a length of galvanised corrugated roofing material in its flat panel form, before the corrugations are introduced.
I bought a roll 12' long for making up panels for a fibreglass chined dinghy 11' long - the company selling these sheets here will basically cut it to any length you want. .

 

[PBooth]

Hi, commercial vehicle bodybuilders and coachbuilders use this material in large sheets, you could probably get an offcut of the size that you need. I work in that field, pm me if you need any info.

Peter