Multipanel vs Plywood

[darrenyorston]

Has anyone used multipanel as opposed to plywood for plywood deck replacement? http://www.multipanel.com.au/products.html

[Daddles]

I don't know the product but I'll raise a warning flag - there's a difference between waterproof and marine grade. On your 40' beauty, you'll want good materials or your'll be wasting your time.

However, it might do the job, I just don't know.

HELP MIK!

Richard

[Boatmik]

Multipanel
Tensile strength - 2.9MPa
from http://www.multipanel.com.au/tech.html

Plywood
Tensile strength - 31Mpa
from http://www.matweb.com/SpecificMaterial.asp?bassnum=PTSPLY&group=General

Sorry - didn't spend much time on this and haven't got my technical books with me - but if the figures above are correct it is 1/10 the strength.

So at first glance it would seem a bad bet.

And despite it passing various waterproofness tests - who knows how it would go for the 10, 20 or 50 years that wooden boat decks seem to manage OK.

As Richard suggests - don't be too tempted to move away from tried and proven methods and materials. In this part of the world you generally get pretty well what you pay for.

MIK

[Boatmik]

Despite the archaic nature of the document the USL code will give you a lot of info regarding the minimum dimensions of different parts.

See
http://www.nmsc.gov.au/uslcode_2.htm

Go down the list to the "Wood" section and download.

Open the document and go straight to the tables. Note that they often give alternatives of using either timber planking or ply for different parts.

It will give the right sizes for a trawler - but will be to heavy for a yacht or light motorboat.

Michael