Material for new washboards?

[prv]

One of the washboards on the new boat is cracked, and the other part looks a bit tired. Replacement of the whole lot is on the list - but what with?

Ruling out plywood straight away, partly because I don't want to have to varnish it, and partly because on this new boat that's all fibreglass, stainless, and aluminium, it would look wrong.

The current boards are transparent, but actually I'd prefer opaque. The only times the boards go in are when we leave the boat (when we don't want the inside to be on display) or on particularly cold wet nights (when we don't want to look out).

Obviously I do want it fairly strong, both for a degree of theft resistance (though I'm not building a safe here) and so that if I ever need to put them in under way I can have some confidence that they'll do their job. The boat has no bridge deck so the lower half in particular would be important in rough weather.

A couple of Westerlies I looked at had washboards made of quite heavy opaque white plastic of some kind, possibly in fact fibreglass. It certainly felt convincingly strong. Any idea what it would have been?

Cheers,

Pete

 

[alahol2]

You can get acrylic sheet (perspex) in solid colours. But you may only be able to get it in black or white at the thickness required for washboards. I imagine making moulds for a fibreglass build would be exceedingly costly and you would be unable to get the finish without them.

 

[prv]

I imagine making moulds for a fibreglass build would be exceedingly costly and you would be unable to get the finish without them.

If I was going to make fibreglass sheets, I'd start with some cheap shiny-surfaced board (plastic-faced chipboard, for example) and then lay up layers of mat and resin like a stack of pancakes. The edges would be all ragged, but I'd make it well oversize and saw the shape I needed out of the middle. It would work OK, I think, with one fair face where it had been on the plastic (bit of wax polish first as a release agent, I guess).

I don't want to do any of that, though, I want to buy the board ready-made.

Pete

 

[lenseman]

here you go:

http://www.theplasticpeople.co.uk/acrylic-perspex-c-155_21.html



.

 

[LadyInBed]

here you go:

http://www.theplasticpeople.co.uk/acrylic-perspex-c-155_21.html



.

The Acrylic Perspex Silver Mirror Sheets could be made to look cool

 

[prv]

here you go:

http://www.theplasticpeople.co.uk/acrylic-perspex-c-155_21.html

They only seem to do 3mm or 5mm. I do need to check what thickness the metal rim profile around the hatch will take, but that seems a bit thin.

How strong is acrylic? I don't really know. I want something that I can't kick in.

Cheers,

Pete

 

[lenseman]

They only seem to do 3mm or 5mm. I do need to check what thickness the metal rim profile around the hatch will take, but that seems a bit thin.

How strong is acrylic? I don't really know. I want something that I can't kick in.

Cheers,

Pete

Pete, I had a quick "click" on one type and colour and it was 10mm thick?

This one can also be up to 10mm, you have to click on the down arrow to the right of dimensions:

http://www.theplasticpeople.co.uk/acrylic-perspex-sheets-white-opal-or-black-p-71.html

.

 

[lenseman]

Also they do a cut to size. Give them the dimensions and thickness and they will quote you:

http://www.theplasticpeople.co.uk/cut-to-size-plastic-c-140.html

Can't be better than that?

.

 

[SamSalter]

I've got cast acrylic washboards (companionway covers over here).
My vertical covers are see through, smoke grey, but the horizontal cover on top of the companionway is opaque white.
The opaque white acrylic lets a lot of light into the cabin, even though you can't see through it.
Something that you might want to consider when choosing the colour.
sam

 

[colind3782]

Go for polycarbonate. More expensive than acrylic but much tougher. They make bullet proof panels from it.

 

[lustyd]

How strong is acrylic? I don't really know. I want something that I can't kick in.

Cheers,

Pete

Be careful making it too strong. The idea of not being able to kick it in is fine but remember that that won't stop a thief and so the boat would end up damaged instead. Ideally you want a washboard that will give way just before the track it's in does.

 

[FWB]

Will acrylic or polycarbonate warp in the sun? You never know, we might get a sunny day next year.

 

[Tranona]

Polycarbonate is best, although acrylic is OK, but not as strong. Very stable, will not warp - mine survived 10 years in the Med and is still good. 9 or 10mm thick, but depends on your runners unless you want to change them. Bronze tint is good, but there is a wide choice of colours. My Bavaria one was originally one piece but I had it cut at 300mm from the bottom with a 45 degree angle sloping down. The upper panel has a teak strip on the bottom overlapping the bottom panel. The bottom panel is held in place by two shoot bolts so is left in place as a bridge deck when sailing. Various different ways of fitting restraining lanyards to the top bit if you want.

Very successful set up, and you can get it cut by the supplier. Try a local signmaker as they will have the kit to cut to pattern and finish the edges. I use one in Bournemouth, but sure to be one in Southampton.

 

[duncan99210]

Polycarbonate is best, although acrylic is OK, but not as strong. Very stable, will not warp - mine survived 10 years in the Med and is still good. 9 or 10mm thick, but depends on your runners unless you want to change them. Bronze tint is good, but there is a wide choice of colours. My Bavaria one was originally one piece but I had it cut at 300mm from the bottom with a 45 degree angle sloping down. The upper panel has a teak strip on the bottom overlapping the bottom panel. The bottom panel is held in place by two shoot bolts so is left in place as a bridge deck when sailing. Various different ways of fitting restraining lanyards to the top bit if you want.

Very successful set up, and you can get it cut by the supplier. Try a local signmaker as they will have the kit to cut to pattern and finish the edges. I use one in Bournemouth, but sure to be one in Southampton.

+1. I had to have a new set made when I managed to put the top half in back to front and shut the hatch on it, breaking the thing. I've no idea if it's polycarbonate or acrylic but got it made to measure in Nidri for about €75 IIRC.

Just a point on polycarbonate. It is used to make bullet resistant windscreens but they had a very limited useful life - about 2 - 3 year IIRC - before they had to be replaced as their strength was markedly downgraded by UV. Now, I don't think washboards have the same requirements but UV may still be a problem.

 

[VicS]

One of the washboards on the new boat is cracked, and the other part looks a bit tired. Replacement of the whole lot is on the list - but what with?

Ruling out plywood straight away, partly because I don't want to have to varnish it, and partly because on this new boat that's all fibreglass, stainless, and aluminium, it would look wrong.

The current boards are transparent, but actually I'd prefer opaque. The only times the boards go in are when we leave the boat (when we don't want the inside to be on display) or on particularly cold wet nights (when we don't want to look out).

Obviously I do want it fairly strong, both for a degree of theft resistance (though I'm not building a safe here) and so that if I ever need to put them in under way I can have some confidence that they'll do their job. The boat has no bridge deck so the lower half in particular would be important in rough weather.

A couple of Westerlies I looked at had washboards made of quite heavy opaque white plastic of some kind, possibly in fact fibreglass. It certainly felt convincingly strong. Any idea what it would have been?

Cheers,

Pete

Personally I would not have ruled out ply. Mine are ply. Every winter I stick in the old ones and take the decent ones, along with some other bits and pieces, home for a coat of varnish. I have long fancied some tinted acrylic ones to use while i am on board but I'll not get round to making any now

If you really really don't what the bother of varnishing a couple of bits of ply what about some teak type solid hard wood.

 

[forelle541]

I have teak washboards but use ones made of Forex board in winter, practicley indestructible and comes in many thicknesses.

 

[Tradewinds]

I have teak washboards but use ones made of Forex board in winter, practicley indestructible and comes in many thicknesses.

Where can you get this from in the Ipswich area (ie Suffolk/N.Essex)?

 

[VicS]

Where can you get this from in the Ipswich area (ie Suffolk/N.Essex)?

Ipswich ? Probably lathe and plaster is the best you'll do. Might get that stuff made with cow pats and straw in Essex

 

[forelle541]

Thanks Vics must admit I had some off cuts at home but you can get it on the net, what thickness are you after?

 

[lw395]

+1. I had to have a new set made when I managed to put the top half in back to front and shut the hatch on it, breaking the thing. I've no idea if it's polycarbonate or acrylic but got it made to measure in Nidri for about €75 IIRC.

Just a point on polycarbonate. It is used to make bullet resistant windscreens but they had a very limited useful life - about 2 - 3 year IIRC - before they had to be replaced as their strength was markedly downgraded by UV. Now, I don't think washboards have the same requirements but UV may still be a problem.

Most polycarbonate seems to have a UV resistant coating these days, but it is as well to check.
Also some only has it on one side.....