Wood core or not?

M

mjsiega

New member
Does anyone know some cruiser/trawler manufacturers that do not use wood (either plywood or balsa) in the coring of their decks, cabins, etc? I only know of Seaway boats and Great Harbour Trawlers that do not. Also anyone have any knowledge or experience with the Camano line of boats? They make a nice 31 "Trawler" that is along the line of Ranger Tugs in being a big little boat. Finally what is the construction method of Ranger Tugs for their hulls, decks, and cabins? They don't mention much about their construction on their website. Thanks.

-Mark
 
I seriously looked at AL boats before I settled on a Tomcat to avoid wood. No boats at any price level (from my experience and research) properly seal wood penetrations. Other C-Brat's have validated the same.

With that being said - if AL is not an option for whatever reason you need to deal with some kind of core. Non-wood core improperly sealed will have problems as well. (i.e. Boston Whalers that have water inside them due to core penetration). You need to be diligent with core penetrations.

Good luck with your research.
 
Sorry, but you are just barking up the wrong tree on this forum with this post...

mjsiega":3v41dv88 said:
Does anyone know some cruiser/trawler manufacturers that do not use wood (either plywood or balsa) in the coring of their decks, cabins, etc? I only know of Seaway boats and Great Harbour Trawlers that do not. Also anyone have any knowledge or experience with the Camano line of boats? They make a nice 31 "Trawler" that is along the line of Ranger Tugs in being a big little boat. Finally what is the construction method of Ranger Tugs for their hulls, decks, and cabins? They don't mention much about their construction on their website. Thanks.

-Mark
Click to expand...
 
Actually, I believe that the C-Dory(not Cape Cruiser) Ventures are cored with foam instead of balsa. It was one of the changes, along with things like an interior liner, that was added to make them appeal to a more upscale market.

David
 
From what I have learned on this site I feel that balsa core is very good. I have read somewhere that water does not spread if it does get into a balsa core. I think it has something to do with the core being end grain.

Most owners go to great lengths to avoid water getting into the core on the first place. I removed all screws in the bilge area of my boat and filled the holes with epoxy and then redrilled to remount the fittings.
 
The balsa vs. foam core issue has been discussed repeatedly on this site. The general consensus is that balsa core is an excellent material when sealed and treated properly. In C-Dory's with a balsa core, end grain balsa is used. With end grain balsa, the grain runs vertically in the core. This limits (but does not eliminate) the spread of water from penetrations into the core. In order to get the core to form to the desired shapes, most decking cores (balsa and foam) have cross cut kerfs in them to allow them to bend. If the entire kerf in a given area is not filled with epoxy, these channels can allow water to travel great distances within the core. This is one of the primary reasons for using a vacuum bagging system when laying up the core. Historically, C-Dory boats (with their balsa cores) have had very few problems with core rot and many 1980's vintage boats are still in great shape. However, there are examples of core rot due to poorly sealed hull penetrations. One downside to foam core is that it is generally MUCH heavier than balsa to get the same mechanical strength.
 
Back
Top