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So I removed the side panels from the gunnel to the floor from the boat to run new bilge hoses. They are, as best I can describe, a plastic covered plywood. Maybe 1/8 of an inch think. The bottom is starting to determinate and while they are out, I am debating on replacing, trimming, or painting them.

What is that material, and or does anyone make the replacement panels? Silly question, but I have no idea what this stuff is..........

I had the same problem, and replaced all the cockpit panels and the inside flybridge panels with 1/4 Starboard. Ten years later it still looks like new.

You can use AZEK or one of the other synthetic sheets. The original panels were thin Masonite type board with a formica covering. If you go synthetic, you will be going a little thicker. I think AZEK starts at 3/8 inch. I did see a sheet in Home Depot, don't remember the manufacturer but it was 1/4 inch thick.

I have been meaning to redo mine, perhaps this is a good time with all this virus stuff, and boating in NJ might become in question of our Governor has his way.

https://www.piedmontplastics.com/produc ... ylic-sheet

talked to piedmont and they recommended this or something similar to starboard. Now if the dude would call me back with pricing and color availability.

I used 3/8 AZEK on my B25. save the old panels for patterns, draw it on the AZEK, cut with a jigsaw. Cuts like butter.

The cockpit panels in my 25 are thin plywood covered in luxurious outdoor carpet. I have no idea if this was original design, but the plywood backing seems to be since each section has the hull number written on the back. Not sure on the aesthetics, but it does a great job at permanently securing treble hooks. It comes in many great colors! Let's start a trend!

My 1983 28 panels were in very good shape structurally besides paint peeling. Boat was sitting for 8 years uncovered filled with snow rain and sun. I think they are fiberglass of some type. They had a brown paper backing that was peeling.Now the cabin door and bulkhead were a different story, they were all rotting. Wish I new what the material was because it held up well..

Replaced my panels on my 28 at the end of last season with 1/4 Starboard which I bought from Boat Outfitters. Good company very helpful and responsive as well as good price they were less then anyone local including shipping. My panels did exactly the same with the bottom coming apart. Just traced the old panels and cutting was very easy and came out awesome.Starboard makes a couple of whites I have to look to see which one I ordered but it matched the Gelcoat perfect.Boat Outfitters will send you samples if you go that way.

Had great luck with Azek. You can buy sheets and it cuts very easily. I even replaced the curved toe plate that the bottom of the pane screws unto with some thicker Azek material. Bends easily to the original curvature.
Having trouble with photo bucket now or I would send you some shots.

BR
Giff

What did you guys use for trim at the corner, top and bottom of the starboard/Azek Panels?

Jack

You should be able to still use the old Teak moldings unless they are shot. You could always get Azek boards and gut them to fit. You can cut the angles on a table saw to make the corners work.

I took the old boards and epoxied 3/8 plywood to the back, cut out large rectangular doors and epoxied in inside stops around the doors. I painted them in Easypoxy and made the doors out of starboard hinges at the bottom with two Southco pull out latches. I had made my deck go out to within 1/4" of the sides, so I use the space for docklines and boathooks. I reused the existing trim and put the washdown pump, switches and speakers in the front 1/3 of them.

Since I am probably not going to purchase an engine to finish my outboard conversion project this year, I'll have some extra time on my hands so I'm going to go with the Maximum pain approach and try to fill the weave of the heavy woven roving and fair it out.

I'm going to assume that I will regret this decision when it takes a stupid amount of labor and doesn't look all that great when I am done but I've run my boat for years without the side panels installed and anything I do will be an improvement.

KTM-
Peel/Ply or release fabric may help make that job go faster (https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/u ... ase+Fabric). I have had some success slathering up rough surfaces and then laying on Peel/Ply (wax paper has worked well for small jobs) and then squeegee out the bubbles to level the surface. The Peel/Ply also helps keep the fairing compound from slumping before it cures on a vertical surface like your cockpit sides.
I'm sorry I don't have any suggestions to speed up the preparation part...
Good luck,
Stephan

Interesting idea, I've had some good luck with the pre-mixed fairing compound that I've picked up from LBI in Connecticut. mix it up on a drywall hawk and spread like joint compound.

I was contemplating putting down a layer of 1.5oz mat first but that might be just an exercise in more sanding.

ktm_2000 wrote:Interesting idea, I've had some good luck with the pre-mixed fairing compound that I've picked up from LBI in Connecticut. mix it up on a drywall hawk and spread like joint compound.

I was contemplating putting down a layer of 1.5oz mat first but that might be just an exercise in more sanding.

I tried both methods, but with light cloth instead of mat. Thickened epoxy spread to fill the weave, apply cloth and wet out. Wait until it gets stable/starts to harden up, then I spread a light coat of fairing compound over the area. This worked to fill the weave and provide a decent surface for the fair/sand/fair/repeat exercise. You saved yourself LOTS of work by retaining that deck to hull piece. My "cap" was off the boat which made it easier to sand - reach over the top edge of the hull from the outer hull side. I used a lot of 3M glide-coat during the primer phases. Maybe 4 primer/sand/primer cycles before I said "good enough", time to paint. I think it was worth the effort to get the slick inner hull sides. The toughest part was work all the radii, of course.

Cam,

What did you do for stern cleats? I've seen some boats here put a wooden pad on the inside of the transom and then thru-bolt the cleats. On a lobster boat I had early on, it had a 3/4" marine ply board glassed into the stern corners on a 45 degree angle and the cleats were thru-bolted to that.

I haven't decided yet what to do but I would like to not have any bolts showing outside so will probably go with the corner board approach.

I will also be building an enclosed section in the center of the transom to allow wires, fuel filters, washdown pump hoses to come up from the bilge. Here's a pic from the fall where I did a bit of sanding on the starboard side. The weave left to fill didn't seem terrible.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/uMYHxYfeRdMgEbsz5

I moved the cleats up to the cap. Pull-up Accon cleats. https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/50 ... 6iQf3DjZy4

I had the cap on and off so many times that it was easy (sort-of) to flip, build pads and reinforce everything. https://www.amazon.com/photos/shared/qg ... a8_pZiHfMD

and to think that I consider fairing out the insides of the cabin a lot of work.................

I can't imagine how much effort you put into making that top cap modification

Here are a couple of options that have worked for me on my old Rybovich, and this will save a ton of time, fiberglass materials, epoxy and will look great. And did I say time, lots of time!

1. 1/8” Baltic Burch plywood can be bought in different size sheets to meet your needs. I would use the old panel as a pattern, cut your new piece to match, then mount the new Burch panel. Once in place, apply a layer of thin clothe such as 4 oz. with resin and let this completely cure. This will get your radius and shape to make the permanent panel. Next remove the panel and glass the the backside, epoxy or glass the edges, but completely encapsulate the panel in epoxy the include the screw holes. Add more clothe, fair and paint. This will give you decades of use with a professional look.

Another panel that is available in the Big Box stores is FRP (fiberglass reinforced panels) for use in restaurants. This has the crinkle or pebble finish on one side, but is smooth on the other and is about 1/8” thick. You can reinforce more by adding more fiberglass, do the same process as mentioned above.

Work safe and work smart, time is priceless!