Cheap Chinese Okume Plywood

[ZUL8TR]

I recently bought some 4mm chinese occume plywood , though I didn't know it was Chinese when I ordered . It's stamped BS1088 Marine ,but I guess anyone can put that on now ? I haven't boiled it ,yet , but I don't like the fact that it has very thin surface plys and a single thick core . I'm looking for fairly uniform plys . Spec'ing the surface veneer thickness "before sanding" seems odd . Maybe mine were a decent thickness before final surfacing?

Where did you buy it? What thickness ply did you buy?
3 ply 3mm that I have purchased had face veneers that were about 1/2 the thickness of the core veneer which would make them about 1/2 mm thick which fits in below spec of 0.45mm for the 3mm. Maybe you got the BS 6566 spec which have thinner face plys thicker center core, that make it stiffer cross grain and less stiff with grain, but does make for more careful sanding ?

More specific per BS1088 spec (ref: http://www.christinedemerchant.com/m...od_grades.html
Thickness Tolerances -- Tolerances vary as follows.

• 4 mm +.02/-0.6 ; 6 mm +.04/-0.65 ; 9 mm +.06/-0.75 ; 12 mm +.09/-0.82
• 15 mm +.1/-0.9 ; 18 mm +.12/-0.98 ; 22 mm +.16/-1.08 ; 25 mm +1.8/-1.16

From the above we can assume that 6 mm material will arrive at thickness' between 6.04 mm and 5.35 mm.
Face Veneer thickness -- For any three-ply construction, which applies to 3 and 4 mm material, each face veneer shall be not thinner than 1/8 of the total thickness of veneers assembled dry. Since the dry thicknesses of the boards are 3.6 and 4.6 respectively, we can assume that, for these thicknesses only, the face veneers will be as follows:

• 3.6 mm dry x 12.5% (1/8) = 0.45 mm 4.6 mm dry x 12.5% (1/8) = 0.575 mm

[glen wesanko]

Dave, I would try to track down the builder and kick his ass !

[daveracerdsh]

Lemme think about that....wait...I would have to kick my own ass!

[Smitty]

We used to talk about "gaboon," is that the same thing as okume? And Don Foti built his runabouts from a denser wood we called "utile," so what's the current availability and thinking on that?

[DeanFHobart]

We used to talk about "gaboon," is that the same thing as okume? And Don Foti built his runabouts from a denser wood we called "utile," so what's the current availability and thinking on that?

When Okume first came out in the "Mid 1960's, it was called Gabon. I remember a Sid-Craft add stating that they would build a boat from Gabon for an additional price. Gabon is the country in Africa where it first came from. I'm sure they are still growing Okume Trees. Gabon is on the Equator on the west coast of Africa. Then it was later called Okume Plywood, and is now pretty much the standard of the Marine Plywood Industry. Okume is now "Farmed"............... No longer cutting down Rain Forest trees. The trees come from Africa mostly, but the plywood is manufactured in many various countries.

Utile, is a Dense Mahogany and very dark in color...... Very heavy. Probably an African Mahogany. Not sure of it's current availability. I personally would not use Utile because of it's weight.

[blueskyracer]

Very interesting history lesson Dean.. Thanks

[Smitty]

This discussion of wood by experienced racers and builders prompts an idea for the benefit of novices.

One of the big pluses of getting a young guy started in any motor sport (as comparison to, say, golf) is that it very likely will motivate him to acquire shop skills and technical knowledge. I can think of several fellows I knew who started racing Stock outboards with no more hands-on ability than the typical high school kid of the times and who had only thought about the driving part of racing, but who got so absorbed in all the technical aspects that they went on to careers in engineering or the skilled trades.

It seems to me that when prospective novices, and their parents, are being introduced to racing on these pages and at novice schools and boat shows and similar events, this tech-education aspect ought to be brought to their attention as one of the most positive facets of the racing experience.

So, an idea: I believe that these young guys (and their dads) ought to be gently encouraged to build their own first boats, if they haven't already acquired a boat. For me and my neighbor pals in the mid-Sixties, getting our sets of Hal Kelly plans in the mail, bringing home sheets of marine plywood atop the family station wagon, and building our boats in our families' basements was one of the most exciting and rewarding parts of the whole deal, a wonderful learning experience. That our boats were already obsolete and slow, as we later found out, surprisingly detracted very little from the fun and pride we got from the building process.

In doing a quick Search here for "boat plans and kits," I encountered these names (in no order): Fralick, Hemp, Shannon Bowman, Sorenson, MJR, B&H, and JDS. No doubt some of these builders have gone on to other things, while you all can surely add more names to the list. Someone did, maybe still does, maintain a race boat plans website, but I can't access it with this computer. I'd like to suggest that there be a place where a novice can find contact info for ALL of the current vendors of plans and kits, along with which classes they build boats for. Some of the plans/kits builders will want to post photos and more detail. AND there should also be contact and other information on all of the good sources of wood, plus info on fasteners, glues, epoxies and glass/composites, finishes and so on. This boat-building guide could exist here as a sticky in the Novice sub-forum, with entries by each of the plans/kits builders themselves (so our Admins don't have to do anything beyond creating a slot). For racing promotions, clubs could have printed versions of the boatbuilder's guide to hand out at races, boatshows, Scout shows, and so on.

Many older guys today lament the disappearance of high school wood/metal/auto shop classes, replaced by computer labs. We remark on what seems to us the decline of the do-it-yourself spirit that was a feature of this country in the decades following WW2, when family men everywhere were building basement projects described in a range of popular magazines. Those who got into electronics in years gone by will tell you of their happy boyhood hours spent on building radio and other kits by Heath, Knight, Archer, Radio Shack, Hallicrafters, and others, now long-gone. Grown-ups now complain that the kids spend all their time with texting or computer games.

With that in mind, it seems to me that outboard clubs could get a good response by "selling" the sport as not merely taking fast rides but as a strong motivator for skill-building and technical education. Basement boat-building is a great start.


EDIT............EDIT...........EDIT............EDI T............ . . . . . . . !!!!!!!! Well, DANG; our esteemed Mrs. BlueSky has gently informed me that if I open my eyes, the thing I am asking for already exists, on the Main Page. I always come straight here, so I never saw it, but I should have thought to look there. I hope the wannabe novices who come here will be more observant than this Altzheimered old clod!!

[ZUL8TR]

that's what I did, built 3 race boats (one of them in avatar) and Dad helped in the beginning, I had wood shop in 10 th grade school, great times gone. Not enough carpenters, plumbers, hands on guys, etc. and there is a great need.

[dwhitford]

Me too! It took a long time before I built my first raceboat (53 years!) but I always (since 1960) did all my own engine work.

[Mrs blueskyracer]

If it is plans you are looking for contact Blueskyracer. We offer full size hydroplane plans of several classes, sorry no runabouts.

And there is a Hulls and hardware list on the left hand margin of the home page that would be of assistance to new racers.