Making shelves in my pontoon/hull

[jbinbi]

I have a 38' catamaran. In the forward section of each hull is a hatch on the deck to get access. This is a huge storage area, there are already a platform running the length, but is down about 3'. I store fenders, lines, etc, but very hard to reach.

I want to have a shelf going across the hull maybe 2' down, and also want to be able to hang lines and fenders along the length of the hull.

My idea was to put a stringer along the side of the hull and be able to put a piec e of starboard across it, and also put some hooks and brackets on the stringer.

How to attach this stringer to the inside of the hull, which is bare glass. I don't feel like drilling holes through the hull for this.

My quick thought was to make the stringer from starboard as well, and just put it up with 5200? Would this work?

[AD28]

I just use either epoxy coated wood or laminate up some foam for a stringer and epoxy it to the side of the hull. Wouldn't use 'goo.

[jbinbi]

thanks. what is 'goo?

[captjcook]

In this case "goo" is the 5200...nothing really sticks well to starboard and it is not great as a structural member, like a shelf, it would probably bow...


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[Stumble]

I would epoxy a wooden knee to the perimeter then screw either wire shelving down, or if you want a solid shelf a piece of G10 board. Alternatively you can epoxy then paint a piece of plywood as a shelf.

But don't use starboard, it won't support its own weight let alone act as a shelf.

[jbinbi]

Any recommendations for the type of wood for the standoff or knee?

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[Stumble]

Any moderately rot resistant wood. Cypress around here, but I would epoxy encapsulate it anyway.

[Tetepare]

Might as well use fake wood like they have for outdoor decks.

[jbinbi]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Might as well use fake wood like they have for outdoor decks.

Brilliant. Thanks. I figure epoxy or 5200 would hold this nicely to the hull, and i can cut up a plank into say 2" x 4" pieces, space those out every foot for 4 feet, adhere them to the hull. Then i can take another plank, and screw it to those pieces and have a long strip 1/2" off the hull that i can put hooks into to hold lines, or with one on each side of the inner hull, lay a piece of wood across for a higher up shelf. It can even slide back and forth. won't have to worry about rot, or having to coat a piece of wood to prevent rot.

something like this http://www.homedepot.com/p/Veranda-3...6412/203640250 assuming 42/5200 adheres to it.

[Stumble]

Originally Posted by jbinbi

Brilliant. Thanks. I figure epoxy or 5200 would hold this nicely to the hull, and i can cut up a plank into say 2" x 4" pieces, space those out every foot for 4 feet, adhere them to the hull. Then i can take another plank, and screw it to those pieces and have a long strip 1/2" off the hull that i can put hooks into to hold lines, or with one on each side of the inner hull, lay a piece of wood across for a higher up shelf. It can even slide back and forth. won't have to worry about rot, or having to coat a piece of wood to prevent rot.

something like this Veranda 3/4 in. x 3-1/2 in. x 8 ft. White PVC Trim (6-Pack)-IN5416412 - The Home Depot assuming 42/5200 adheres to it.

As far as I know the fake wood doesn't bond to epoxy. You could do a test with it first however. But personally I wouldn't bother. Encapsulating wood is a pretty painless process.

The other option would be to epoxy G10 to the hull, but you can't screw into it later.

[Aqualibrium]

Get a sheet of glass covered foam app 20mm thick from DIAB or similar supplier, cut to width required and glue and glass it onto the hull with epoxy glue and resin and fibreglass tape of say 200mm width.
You will be installing a structural hull strengthener as well as a shelf, and it will be a fraction of the weight of resin encapsulated timber.

Once you learn how to use epoxy you will never look back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jimbunyard]

If you plan on screwing hooks or straps into the shelf cleat (stringer) to hold lines, best to use thickened epoxy to attach a 1.25" x 2" cleat of poplar, black locust, oak, ash or similar hardwood to the sides of the hull. Not absolutely necessary to epoxy coat it or paint it if you use reasonably rot resistant wood, at any rate better not to paint it so you can see if it is going bad... If you don't want to mess with wood for the shelf itself, a plain piece of unfinished 3/4" coosaboard would be my choice for lightness and strength (though if you're putting anything over a couple hundred pounds on it you might want to glass it on both sides). Starboard is pretty useless except for bearings, shims and guards, in my experience and opinion (although it generally excels in those applications).


Just saw your reference to this


http://www.homedepot.com/p/Veranda-3...210757&cj=true


That stuff is not even starboard. It's some kind of expanded or blown PVC (not UHMW) and has little structural strength. It is meant only to be used as rot resistant trim, screws pull out of it easily.

[thinwater]

Why on earth would you use Starboard for a shelf? Basically it rates nearly zero, passing only the no-rot test.

• weak
• will sag in time
• heavy
• nothing bonds

I feel nearly as strongly about Starboard on boats as some people do about silicon. Other than cutting boards, it does almost nothing well.