Hi all, I need to fortify the seats of a funky fiberglass skiff. Can I use plywood if I keep it painted? I'm on a tight budget. I also need to put a big board on the bottom to cover up some rough spots.
Sure you can, but if it is not at the very least an exterior grade, it will start coming apart pretty soon even if it is painted. Marine grade is best, but pricey.
Plain redwood or red cedar boards would serve you very well for the seats and for a grating in the bottom. Varnish or paint the seats. Leave the grating bare.
Edit to add: you will have to buy a full sheet of plywood but only a few linear feet of boards.
If you're going to use wood, why not epoxy the wood in place and then coat with a couple layers of fiberglass... That'll make it much stronger and prevent the wood from rotting... paint the epoxy afterwards.
When I built my sailing and rowing dinghy I used poplar for the seat and rub strakes. It has held up fine for 8 years or so. Make sure you don't have knots in the wood.
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