Best wood for hatch board?

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Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Yep, wrote board, not boards. Many years ago I cut a piece of marine plywood to fit the companionway for the winter layup. While working on the boat the next spring I realized how convenient it was to lift one board out and back in. So I continued to use that board year round. But being plywood the edges have finally split and it never had a nice color.

Then I bought some good wood, glued, planed, and shaped it, and left it in Florida. But I was ready to abandon it anyway because it seems too lightweight, it would not be secure. See pictures.

To the question, what wood would you recommend for a solid one-piece hatchboard? And no, I do not want doors.
 

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COOL

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Feb 16, 2009
118
Islander 30 mkII Downtown Long Beach
The marine plywood idea wins for being
strong and light weight. Just epoxy the
edges.
 
FastOlson

FastOlson

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Apr 8, 2010
2,086
Ericson Yachts Olson 34 28400 Portland OR
It's a nice upgrade, IMHO

I replaced a set of solid teak boards with a one-piece composite board.
I used honeycomb but balsa coring would work as well, just a few ounces heavier...
:)
Mine has a couple of layers of cloth and epoxy on each side. Tested it by supporting the edges with a half inch support (imitating the inner frp flange on each side on the opening on the boat) and jumped on it. No bend, no harm -- it was unipressed.

Only weighs a few pounds.

I built a pair of light frp brackets inside the head against a bulkhead for storage --- no more heavy teak boards trying to attack the interior when we tack.

Make up a perfect pattern with a doorskin or similar and measure the angle of the bottom and the top to transfer. Small mistakes are easily fixed with thickened epoxy. With a finish coat of Ezpoxy one-part paint, it looks "like factory."

You'll like the change.
:D
 
Warren Milberg

Warren Milberg

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Dec 1, 1999
2,391
Hunter 28.5 Chesapeake Bay
Ed:
I did the same thing many years ago when I had Sea Sprite. The one-piece board, made from marine plywood, looked great and was easy to stow. I put some stain on it, added a louvered vent with a screen on the inside, sealed the edges, and used up an oldish can of varnish on that board. Like you, I realized it was superior to the 4-teak board arrangement I had and so I just continued to use the single board. My guess is that the current owner of that wonderful little boat is still using that board....
 
woodster

woodster

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Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
Ed Schenck said:
Yep, wrote board, not boards. Many years ago I cut a piece of marine plywood to fit the companionway for the winter layup. While working on the boat the next spring I realized how convenient it was to lift one board out and back in. So I continued to use that board year round. But being plywood the edges have finally split and it never had a nice color.

Then I bought some good wood, glued, planed, and shaped it, and left it in Florida. But I was ready to abandon it anyway because it seems too lightweight, it would not be secure. See pictures.

To the question, what wood would you recommend for a solid one-piece hatchboard? And no, I do not want doors.
Click to expand
from your pics it looks like you know what you are doing when joining wood ....so if you want to use planks in place of ply wood you can either use teak...mahogany....or maybe even sapilie....you may want to put battens on them to keep them resonably flat .....if you use ply wood use marine grade and make a border out of teak or what ever you choose and dowel them on ...where they come together at the corners..... use a lap joint.......

regards

woody
 
Johnb

Johnb

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Jan 22, 2008
1,456
Hunter 37-cutter Richmond CA
Ed,

Did you make it the full thickness that the companyon way can take? On my HC37 that is 3/4 inch. We have three sections, the middle one in smoky plastic and I like that.
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
Ed in Ohio you can get sassafras lumber from the sawmills. It looks like ash , is durable and stable. It appears that the board in your picture is western red cedar.
 
RECESS

RECESS

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Dec 20, 2003
1,505
Pearson 323 . St. Mary's Georgia
I have used marine and regular plywood. If you take fiberglass resin with hardener and spread it across the wood, it soaks it in. I keep applying it until the wood will not absorb anymore, let dry thoroughly and then do the other side. It does not add much weight, but it should last a very, very long time. It is also easy to paint and keeps the wood from warping.
 
R

Rick Sylvester

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Jul 1, 2004
567
Hunter 40 St. Petersburg
None

Wood is evil. It should only be admired when on someone else's boat.

Just kidding. Sorta.

If it were me, I'd make it out of Lexan or similar. We did this years ago and love it. We LOVE being able to see outside without necessarily going outside.

If you wanted something opaque I'd hands down use Starboard (or similar.)

Slowly, every exterior wood piece on our boat is being replaced by some sort of plastic or stainless. I LOVE low-maintenance.
 
S

Steve Dion

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Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Our Hunter Vision only has 2 pieces. They are both acrylic. I like to have the bottom board in place and leave the top one out for additional ventilation on some days.

Another option for reduced maintenance is Starboard, but I would not recommend a single piece because of the weight.

Ed: But I love wood on YOUR boat!
 
Bill Roosa

Bill Roosa

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Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
Plywood and solid wood

Use plywood surrounded by a frame of solid wood. Like a cabinet door.
 
Ed Schenck

Ed Schenck

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Jun 2, 2004
5,802
Hunter 37-cutter, '79 41 23' 30"N 82 33' 20"W--------Huron, OH
Thanks for all the great ideas guys. You can tell it is winter, I have never had so many responses so quickly unless it was about women. Whoops, not PC I guess.

Ross, you are good! There is a piece in my office(don't ask) and it has "WR Cedar(N)" stamped on the end. And like some of you my factory setup was/is two pieces of teak with thick lexan in the middle. Just two much of a hassle going in and out. I do have a factory summer board, mostly screen. But not good with a/c running. And yes John, 3/4".

My move to a condo means I have little in the way of a workshop. So maybe I farm out one of the ideas. Plywood with a frame is appealing. Starboard would seem too heavy but I might heft a piece to check. Funny because I was one of the first on this site to start replacing teak with PlasTeak.
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
That is a little less than 59 pounds per cu.ft. It would float.
 
Ron20324

Ron20324

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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
I did it the strong and easy way. Plate aluminum. Lasted without wear.
 
Prime Time

Prime Time

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Sep 25, 2008
544
Bristol 43.3 Perth Amboy
Warping Issue

A solid board might warp? Maybe laminate 2 board thicknesses together with alternating grains to make your own "plywood" if you don't like what is available.
 
S

Steve Dion

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Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
I think that using kiln dried wood and sealing it with your favorite finish will prevent all but minor warping.
 
Ross

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
If the wood is all vertical grain it will warp very little even if it gets wet. Careful choice of the boards is as important as the choice of species.
 
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