Ahoy All, BCC Calliste’s hull to deck joint, coverboard and bulwarks have been removed.
To avoid rot, painting and maintaince, I am preparing to replace the coverboard with Sea Pearl color “King StarBoard” a polyethelene wood substitute.
Has anyone used this material or have any coments or advice on it’s use ?
Teak Bulwarks will be replacing the Tsunami damaged Hondo Mahog bulwarks, on top of the starboard.
Douglas
Because “King StarBoard” is a filled polyethylene, adhesives and caulking compounds may not adhere to the product very well. I would conduct several simple tests with your choosen adhesive or caulking compound on starboard and wood.
Test Procedure or see simpler approach:
Cut several 4" X 4" pieces of starboard and teak or iroko (test samples),
Seal the teak or iroko with LifeCaulk Prime,
Cut a piece a 18"X 18" piece of 1/2 plywood and seal the plywood with LifeCaulk primer - a piece of fiberglass would be better. If you use fiberglass, coat the fiberglass with LifeCaulk Primer,
Cut 20 1/2" X 1/2" pieces of formica type material or heavy matte board (1mm thick) - stand-off pieces
Coat the test samples with caulk or adhesive and place 5 stand-off pieces on on the coated sided of each of the test samples - corners and center,
Place the test samples on the plywood or fiberglass and press the test samples down untill they are resting on the stand-off pieces,
Let cure for 72 hours then pry off the test samples and compare adhesive strength of the test pieces. Try to be consistant with how you pry the test samples off the test bed.
Simpler Approach:
The simpler approach is to telephone the manufacturer of the adhesive or caulking compound, as well as King StarBoard and ask them about use of their products in your application.
Note: Starboard’s expansion and contraction from thermal changes and moisture absorption may break the adhesive or caulking compound bond over time.
You may want to consider using fiberglassed Coosa Board - http://www.pdgassociates.com/composite_foam.html
Roderick,
s/v IDUNA
I would worry about sealing around the screw holes that attach the startboard. There isn’t much, if anythng, that will stick to that stuff and while it handles like wood to some extent I doubt if its expansion/contraction to heat and cold is going to match that of wood. Thus you may be in a constant battle of getting bedding/caulking to adhear between Starboard and wood which could lead to rot in the wood and leaking screw holes though the hull to deck joint.
Our original covering boards, wale strake and bulwark were mahogany with ash stantions. After 22 years, a little rot here and there and hurricane Georges damage (Puerto Rico) we removed it all and went back with all teak. It’s not as pretty as the mahogany but most of it is painted and I’m not concerned about rot this time as I precoated every bit of it with thinned epoxy before putting it together.
I really have no idea what other problems Starboard covering boards might entale but I’m pretty sure getting it to adhear to anything, including itself will be a big one.
It’s also really expensive.
Also, what about paint? I don’t think you can paint it and I believe it stains. And looks cheesy, IMO
Sarboard is not dimentionally stable when exposed to heat. We had a customer who mounted a RACOR fuel filter assembly behing the water exhaust rubber elbow, you could actually place your hand on the exhaust elbow and it was just a little more than luke warm. The filter mounted on starboard about a foot aft of the elbow began to expand over several months, eventually bowed outward pushing the RACOR forward 4" in contact with the exhaust hose. The sun eventually turns it a dull white and it will crack.
BCC Forums bccforums@samlmorse.com wrote:
Author: Stan R
Username: Stan R
Subject: Re: Coverboard / StarBoard
Forum: BCC Forum
Link: http://www.samlmorse.com/forum/read.php?5,4089,4093#msg-4093
I would worry about sealing around the screw holes that attach the startboard. There isn’t much, if anythng, that will stick to that stuff and while it handles like wood to some extent I doubt if its expansion/contraction to heat and cold is going to match that of wood. Thus you may be in a constant battle of getting bedding/caulking to adhear between Starboard and wood which could lead to rot in the wood and leaking screw holes though the hull to deck joint.
Our original covering boards, wale strake and bulwark were mahogany with ash stantions. After 22 years, a little rot here and there and hurricane Georges damage (Puerto Rico) we removed it all and went back with all teak. It’s not as pretty as the mahogany but most of it is painted and I’m not concerned about rot this time as I precoated every bit of it with thinned epoxy before putting it together.
I really have no idea what other problems Starboard covering boards might entale but I’m pretty sure getting it to adhear to anything, including itself will be a big one.
It’s also really expensive.
Also, what about paint? I don’t think you can paint it and I believe it stains. And looks cheesy, IMO