Which thickness of ply for cabin washboards ?

[Pirx]

Our companionway has a single 8 mm perspex washboard. It works, but it's big, heavy, impossible to stow anywhere, and on summer nights lets in too much vaguely mauve coloured light.
I'm going to replace this with two or possibly three pieces of nicely varnished marine ply but cannot decide how thick this should be.
6 mm would fit fine but rattle about a bit in the slots.
9 mm would mostly fit but I'd need to relieve one of the slots slightly. This is reasonably easy as the slot is wood faced, but it is more work.
All advice welcome .............

 

[PetiteFleur]

Why not just trim the new washboard with a plane? - much easier than opening the slot unless you can remove the wood and plane on the bench. Or get someone with a router to reduce the thickness on the new board along each edge.
Or even painting the perspex?

 

[mrangry]

Interesting to read this as I am about to replace my ply washboards and companionway hatch with 10mm smoked acrylic. I am looking to let in more light

 

[ashtead]

Why not cut in half horizontally and create a bracket in the locker to store each half or fit some lovely timbered opening doors ?

 

[coopec]

I can't see what yacht you sail? (Am I going blind?)

Is it a "bluewater yacht" or a harbor racer? If it is a "BlueWater yacht" and you get pooped you need something very much more substantial than 6 mm

Mine is 19 mm with a perspex window in the center but then the yacht is 43ft and designed for the open ocean. (The bulkheads are 19 mm. so I stuck with 19mm for the wash board)

 

[TernVI]

6mm ply would be fairly easy to break into.
Keep the perspex for when the ply is away being varnished, which will be every year.
A two piece washboard is good on some boats, uou can have the bottom half in, in rough weather.
My first boat came with a canvas curtain kind of thing to keep the light out.
Current boat has a choice of boards, solid or with big louvre vents.

 

[PetiteFleur]

"Keep the perspex for when the ply is away being varnished, which will be every year."
I have varnished washboards but fit an acrylic cover over them when not aboard so only varnished once in 14 yrs. Also covers over varnished deck handrails but they've been varnished twice as they get more abuse. Works very well as I don't like varnishing...

 

[Hoolie]

You'll need the horizontal join between sections to be stepped to keep water out. Our two part washboards are 18mm which I made up by laminating 12mm and 6mm plywood offset by about 18mm to create the required step. I don't think machining down ply would be very satisfactory as the internal layers are not as well controlled as the faces.

Like mrangry above I have a project to make up perspex washboards that should be interchangeable with the ply sections to give more light and visibility of the cockpit when the boards are in.

 

[Graham_Wright]

For security reasons, I used 18mm thick HDPE.

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

I had a one-piece 8mm perspex one which fell down the companionway and broke. Rather than replacing it with ply which I had on hand, I replaced it with a 2-piece perspex one as I did not want to lose the light. If stray light interferes with sleep or privacy that can be solved with a teatowel or purpose made blind.
If you do replace it with a two piece one, either ply or perspex, ensure that the edges where they join are either rebated or cut at an angle (sloping outwards), to prevent rain ingress.

 

[coopec]

How do you secure the washboards for heavy weather and be able to open them from inside and outside? I think this is an excellent idea. . The cord goes through the washboard so it can be pulled on to release the bolt on the latch. (I bought a SS spring loaded bolt on eBay they other day for a few dollars)

Companionway Integrity In A Storm

Companionway Integrity In A Storm

 

[Neeves]

When we had a mono we replaced the washboards with acrylic, it lets in light. The boards were split, top and bottom.. The joint was 'sloped' as mention to keep our water. We drilled a hole in the top board, hole saw, and had a larger circle bolted on (to cover the hole) which allowed the boards to be secured but a hand could be put through the hole to release.

If you worry about privacy - its amazing what a curtain will do!

Rot free, lets light in, strong (10mm)

You need to find a location to store them, that depends on 'spec' in the yacht - and your imagination.

Jonathan

 

[Blueboatman]

Out of interest, does anyone know if HDPE floats? I think it might, just?(?)
I like the idea of no exterior varnish to
maintain.
( I went ages ago from 2 pieces of plywood to 4 pieces of unvarnished teak , though of course securing them at sea becomes that much more problematic , hey ho)

 

[coopec]

Out of interest, does anyone know if HDPE floats? I think it might, just?(?)
I like the idea of no exterior varnish to
maintain.
( I went ages ago from 2 pieces of plywood to 4 pieces of unvarnished teak , though of course securing them at sea becomes that much more problematic , hey ho)

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)
plasticsrecycling.org › member-profiles › profile

Of particular concern are mineral fillers or additives that cause the overall blend to sink in water. The density of HDPE is .94-.96 so it floats in water. Density is an ...
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[Blue_mischief]

I have a 3 piece hardwood washboard which stows in a purpose made canvas pocket on the cockpit side of the bridge deck. Keeps it out of the way. I use a velcroed piece of curtain material to keep the light out when I leave the washboards out. In your position I'd be inclined to keep the Perspex but cut it into two or three pieces with sloped joints as already mentioned, and use a curtain to solve the light problem. A one piece emergency ply washboard fitted with bolts could be kept flat under a berth for a spare or extreme conditions if you are likely to encounter them. 6mm is, I think, too thin.

 

[TernVI]

How do you secure the washboards for heavy weather and be able to open them from inside and outside? I think this is an excellent idea. . The cord goes through the washboard so it can be pulled on to release the bolt on the latch. (I bought a SS spring loaded bolt on eBay they other day for a few dollars)

Companionway Integrity In A Storm

Companionway Integrity In A Storm


View attachment 100137

I can imagine tears if you're all on deck and that spring-ring pulling the bolt unravels.
IMHO (and ORC's IIRC) you need to be able to lock the boards in, independently of latching the sliding hatch. You don't want them falling out in a knockdown.

 

[Sea-Fever]

If I were you, and as already suggested, I would cut the existing acrylic in half horizontally. The cut should be at an angle so water runs out, not in. I would then use opaque vinyl film on the inside on either one or both panels, available in various shades, to improve privacy and reduce light transmission. If it goes wrong you haven't lost much and can explore the wood option.

Cheap, solves the problems, little work.

 

[coopec]

I can imagine tears if you're all on deck and that spring-ring pulling the bolt unravels.
IMHO (and ORC's IIRC) you need to be able to lock the boards in, independently of latching the sliding hatch. You don't want them falling out in a knockdown.

For safety you'd need a finger hole to work the bolt as well.
It would be impossible to remove the washboard without sliding the hatch first. (I'm sure that's how they have it working too).

 

[Spirit (of Glenans)]

Why not just trim the new washboard with a plane? - much easier than opening the slot unless you can remove the wood and plane on the bench. Or get someone with a router to reduce the thickness on the new board along each edge.
Or even painting the perspex?

Or sand down the edge with an electric sander/belt sander/sanding disc in grinder.

 

[LONG_KEELER]

If I were you, and as already suggested, I would cut the existing acrylic in half horizontally. The cut should be at an angle so water runs out, not in.

I have one piece of smoked acrylic/ polycarbonate about 3' square . It does the job well but is heavy and awkward to stow.

Ideally I would like to cut it into two or three pieces. I have phoned two companies that supply the material but cannot cut it unless it was purchased from them. Would an angled cut with a jigsaw work ok ?