Re decking a 1957 Finn

[davidh]

Rupert,

I was down looking at a truely awesome 'money no object' restoration of a merlin today and...... they reckoned it was worthwhile going for oversized ply sheets as ultimately this made for not only a better job but when looked at professionally - the only way to go.
They'd done the side decks in one piece and the job looked fantastic - so I guess it would also be possible to get a single sheet to do the foredeck 'in one'.

I guess in the end it depends upon the boat.....ASP, 2994, a very famous smokers - recently reappeared - if you wanted that back to it's original glory, as a % of the total cost of the rebuild (by the time you've taken in account sprayed hull and decks/interior) would the premium on the bigger piece of ply be that much of an issue.

D

[Rupert]

I built a 9/12 foot canoe once out of a 10x5 sheet of ply. Handling it in the workshop was a bit of a nightmare till I'd cut it lengthways.

[Ed]

Well......for me, I would always go for two sheets.

As Rupe says, you can't even get a Firefly foredeck out of one....and I don't like the little triangles, but do like the look of a good join down the crown of the deck.

so for me.....always two sheets.

If you don't, it will always bug you every time you look at it.

I have never regretted paying more for some wood and getting the very best I could, but every time I have compromised, I have felt disappointed (every so slightly) in the final outcome.

go for the two sheets.....or give the veneer a go, as I reckon that worked really nicely.

cheers

eib

[Rupert]

Another good reason for sailing a wooden Minisail - it was specially designed to be less than the width of a piece of plywood wide! British Moth works, too.

Ed, I'd much rather do a 4" glue line and make it vanish than a 4' one down the middle, though I agree that a centreline join can look great, especially if you put a stripe down it - though personally, I'd rather a dark stripe than a sycamore one.

[JimC]

Sadly I can't find a photo of my Cherub when she had the foredeck join at about 10 degrees to the centreline and about two thirds one side, one third the other. Structurally it made complete sense...

[davidh]

ed...there are some cases when a centreline joint is not desirable;.

Take the case of the contender: the mast is deck stepped on the foredeck. Give the rig tension in use and the pounding the boat can take, the centreline joint can 'work!. I've seen it in MRs too......

Am with rupert on this - for the want of a small unobtrusive joint tucked away in a corner, I'd go one piece every time (or, if I could afford it, but an oversized sheet!)

D

[Pat]

What about rather than trying to be unobtrusive about the two joints at the sides, making them a decorative feature like go-faster stripes with a contrast filet of wood? Reshape the centre piece slightly to give a pleasing sloping line and since you can't hide it, flaunt it

[chris]

When I redecked an earlyish albacore I was following the original scheme with white/red/white tapering string featuring the centre join. The strip tapered from about 45mm to 15 at the bow. When it came to working out how much ply I needed to buy for this I found that if I didn't do the central strip I would have needed to buy one more sheet. as it was there was only about 5mm spare to get the two main pieces out so it was a question of some accurate first cutting then making sure it was glued accurately. At the widest part it only needed a fewmm triming before the gunnells went on.
The fore deck was supported under this central joint by a batten about 100 wide onto which the joint plus the decorative strip was glued. (just to reasure DH it will cope with the strain).

[Obscured by clouds]

Much prefer a two piece with a central spine in a contrasting colour. Better still if you can get a degree of 'book-matching' between the two sides.