Marine ply constructed v GRP constructed interior?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Deleted User YDKXO
  • Start date Start date
D

Deleted User YDKXO

Guest
The SWMBO and I had a good crawl over a new boat yesterday and I was surprised to find that the whole interior, including all the flooring, is constructed in the traditional way from marine ply rather than using pre-moulded grp assemblies. I realise that means that the interior is highly customisable but anyone got a view on whether this is a good or bad thing in other respects? I'm particularly thinking about noise/vibration transmission, movement of the interior as the hull flexes and longevity

I guess that production boat builders have long ago moved on to constructing their interiors using pre-moulded grp/composite assemblies but how many builders still build their interiors in this traditional way?
 
My view is the trad method is good and positive thing .Nothing moves , squeak s or rattles , access to areas under is easy .
It’s just cost more in materials and labour .That aside if folks don,t mind extra €€ they are heavier .
This can mean performance issues if a P boat .

You have not disclosed the brand or size :)

They say ( owners ) that the post 2005 Itama,s built by Ferretti at a different site ,by different blokes ,using “ modern “ methods like Vac form hull, drop in ,pre made units like bathrooms etc are not a patch on the pre 2004/5 stuff .They are significantly lighter .The current 45 S eg has 480 Hp ,recently up,d to 550 ( because the 480 stopped production)
Where as mine similar size has 700/730 , just to give you idea of the extra Kg,s

So much so over a decade later there’s a healthy refurb n update market of the older modals .
Ironically it’s @ the old Itama factory on the Tabur ( Sp ? ) in Rome ,with some of the original work force .
Of course the hull needs to be stiff too as well as the fit out .

My experience of the modern drop in modular method is not good .You did ask ?
I,am fed up @ boat shows , doing the gate keeper thing in searing heat ,hanging around at a busy show for the EN language guy to show up - walk on board to creakily laid floors in the saloon or caravan style drop in liner bathroom s ,with flexible panels .It happens a lot .
Once I just stud feet wide apart , moving my weight firm one leg to another. “ hear that “ I asked the sales man ? As the floor creaked !
Another time I pressed a so called bulk head , it flexed .

My get fast out line is “ has it got IPS “ ?Remember the boats tied up @ the dock ,not moving .
Works both ways , what ever the answer is I say I was looking for the other .
View attachment 67109
Here you can see some trad marine ply under the floor and two massive beams that run the L of the boat eventually forming part of the engine bearers
View attachment 67110

Fwd cabin under an inspection hatch , ,more floor detail ,that’s the anchor wash down pump ,and the insulated pipe is cold water to a air handler .
Again is easy to run stuff under a built floating floor ,as opposed to multiple drop in modules.
 
Last edited:
Deleted User said:
I guess that production boat builders have long ago moved on to constructing their interiors using pre-moulded grp/composite assemblies but how many builders still build their interiors in this traditional way?
Click to expand...
I was as surprised as you probably will be to hear (earlier this year, from that folk I told you about, who knows Ferrettis like the back of his hands) that also Ferretti do, for their bigger stuff - from the 680 up.
This is also true of SL (regardless of size, afaik), and also of DP.

In terms of noise and vibration transmission, wood is obviously vastly superior to GRP, as it is (hands down!) when used for the whole boat - hull, superstructure, interiors.
Longevity can be a different story - wood not being necessarily worse than GRP, but surely more dependant on 2 factors: quality of the initial construction, and (particularly for external parts, if any) maintenance.
 
rafiki_ said:
So Mike, is there a new boat thread coming on here?
Click to expand...

If there is, and it is a big if, it will be quite a while yet

Btw the boat we looked at was a Hardy 65. Looking at others too. Or we might just end up keeping our current boat for a while longer:)
 
Portofino said:
two massive beams that run the L of the boat eventually forming part of the engine bearers
Click to expand...
Do you mean the two longitudinal frames closer to the centerline, which (I suppose) eventually support the internal engine mounts astern? They seem built in solid GRP to me, judging from your pic.
And TBH, I'm not sure I would want them to be wooden cored, due to potential rotting issues.
 
MapisM said:
I was as surprised as you probably will be to hear (earlier this year, from that folk I told you about, who knows Ferrettis like the back of his hands) that also Ferretti do, for their bigger stuff - from the 680 up.
This is also true of SL (regardless of size, afaik), and also of DP.

In terms of noise and vibration transmission, wood is obviously vastly superior to GRP, as it is (hands down!) when used for the whole boat - hull, superstructure, interiors.
Longevity can be a different story - wood not being necessarily worse than GRP, but surely more dependant on 2 factors: quality of the initial construction, and (particularly for external parts, if any) maintenance.
Click to expand...

OK, I have no experience of GRP interiors (or exteriors for that mater...) but ply for cabinets and general flooring/bulkheads is absolutely fine and has lasted with no structural or other issues in the almost 50yo MiToS. Only thing that messes with it is rainwater, but you'd probably notice that anyway :D
Ceiling slats/panels were fabricated from NON-marine ply, 95% are fine and still in use, the parts that were soaked, were scrapped.

I also believe that the more wood you have on the interior the better the space is environmentally, lower variations in temps during the day and lower humidity. It's amazing how different mine and my friends Princesses are during the winter.

V.
 
Deleted User said:
I guess that production boat builders have long ago moved on to constructing their interiors using pre-moulded grp/composite assemblies but how many builders still build their interiors in this traditional way?
Click to expand...

I assume we can consider MCY as a production builder ?
during a factory visit I learned that they use a fairly new inside construction method,
consisting mostly of wood, no pre -moulded grp / composite assembly for the inside!
(a couple of years ago I posted a report about that visit on here)

apart from the totally new production process, with advantages on weight and production time,
imo this adds a lot to the "big ship" feeling / finish, contrary to a plastic tub
 
MapisM said:
Do you mean the two longitudinal frames closer to the centerline, which (I suppose) eventually support the internal engine mounts astern? They seem built in solid GRP to me, judging from your pic.
And TBH, I'm not sure I would want them to be wooden cored, due to potential rotting issues.
Click to expand...

Yes those .
I suspect they are wood cored ,but a hard wood like iroko .They seem to last .
Agree with Bart, it’s not cold in winter and quiet at night .
 
I agree with all previous comments in favour of all-wood interiors - in fact, not having ANY plastic bits in sight anywhere is one of the reasons why I preferred the DP to the F175 which has been her closer competitor (so to speak) in my final choice, even if the latter is a slightly larger boat.
That said, it's only fair to mention one area where imho pre-moulded GRP interiors make a lot of sense, i.e. the bathrooms.
I would be quite happy to sacrifice the nice appearance of laquered wood for plastic moulds with rounded borders, inside the heads and showers, for rather obvious practicality reasons.
 
Thanks guys. Must admit I'm surprised by the replies. It seems that marine ply construction is still common even with production builders these days
 
I think I’d be happy with marine ply anywhere that would never come into contact with bilge water, or grey / black water.
So “anywhere above the cockpit sole” I would not be concerned about.
But I have had enough bad experiences with water in the wrong place not to want any kind of wood in the very lowest areas of the hull.
Last time I checked, fibreglass mouldings don’t absorb raw sewage :ambivalence:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top