When it comes to boating projects, sythetic building matrials sell themelves. Polymer lumber and related plastics – the best known is StarBoard – cost a bit more than wood, but they are waterproof, require no finish and eliminate problems like delamination and rot. What's not to like?
The truth, however, is that the devil is always in the details. While marine-grade lumber has a track record going back decades, experienced boaters and builders know that there can be surprises when working with new materials. Until you get the goods into the shop, you really don't have the whole story.
So in order to demonstrate the versatility of these products, we have outlined a selection of projects – a boarding ladder, a companionway hatch, an electrical panel, a grab rail and a propane locker – that successfully substituted synthetic materials for wood.
The goal is not to teach you how to build these particular items, though most would be at home on almost any boat. Rather, the idea is to demonstrate the wide range of uses, pass on some tips and tricks and get you thinking about projects of your own.
THE BOARDING STEP
Getting on and off a boat tied to a floating dock can be tricky. My friend, Vince Purcell, built a boarding step that fit securely over the toe rail of his 34–foot sailboat. The step made boarding a snap, even for those of us "experienced" sailors with less than perfect knees.
Paul EsterleThe Boarding step in place on the boat (lanyard not shown). It is taken up while underway.
Unfortunately, his version was made from marine plywood. After several seasons of use, the plywood began to deteriorate and eventually broke while he was visiting us. After inspecting his step and evaluating the problem, I developed an alternative built from synthetics.
I used StarBoard, which can "cold flow" or deform under pressure. To offset this problem I added a support under the front of the step and a higher toe kick on top of the back of the step. The step itself was inset into a shallow rabbet or groove (see photo).
The other point of concern was the narrow part of the step where it fit over the toe rail. I made the top of the side plates higher to provide more material to resist the tendency for the step to crack at the top of the toe rail opening. All the fasteners were standard stainless steel self–tapping screws, installed in pre–drilled pilot holes.
I developed the pattern for the toe rail using artists foam board. This product is available in most craft stores and is comprised of a thin layer of foam bonded between to sheets of thin cardboard. The material is easily cut with a hobby knife but is rigid enough to hold its shape. It was a cut–and–try process until I had a final fit. The important thing was to develop a shape that would be secure when hooked over the toe rail yet could easily be lifted off.
Once I made the pattern, the rest was simple. Most of the cuts were straight. A table saw would have been ideal, but I made them using a battery-powered circular saw. I made the groove using my router and a guide bar clamped to the side plate.
After that, it was a simple job of pre–drilling holes and screwing the step together. One additional feature I added was to tie a lanyard to the step that could be secured to the boat. There's no sense in building a step that can be dropped overboard.
DROP BOARD
The drop board on my 20–foot project boat was made from plywood. I had laminated teak veneer to the outer surface to make it look better and preserve the plywood underneath. However, it still required an annual sanding and recoating with varnish to keep it looking good.
A friend happened to be marketing a foamed PVC material called Kleer. He offered me several samples in order to experiment, including enough 3/4–inch thick material for several projects, one of which would become this replacement drop board.
