Practical Projects

It’s the thing that owners of GRP vessels fear most - the dreaded ‘O’ word. Osmosis (also known as ‘Boat Pox’) is a very serious condition. Reports of boats actually sinking because of it are rare indeed, but it can be difficult and expensive to cure so most boat owners greet the sight of blisters in their gelcoat as disastrous. Obviously, any blistering needs to be investigated thoroughly but happily, a blister doesn’t always indicate osmosis and often it is quite easy to cure. So how do you tell the difference?

Read more ...

The three GRP issues
Despite its excellent suitability as a boat-building material, GRP has three important characteristics. Firstly, to a greater or lesser extent, all resins used in boatbuilding are permeable, which means they will allow water to enter; secondly, almost all GRP contains voids and hollow areas inside the layers of material; and thirdly, there are almost certainly going to be residual chemicals in the material, some of which are hygroscopic, which means they absorb moisture in the same way as salt.

Read more ...

If there is one thing that lets many boat restoration projects down, it is interior trim. Many people can produce professional quality timber work for boats, but finish off the job by sticking carpet on the ceiling and cabin sides. Now I am the first to sing the praises of foam-back corded carpet as a soft furnishing, especially on steel vessels where its insulation properties will usually stop condensation dead but if it is used everywhere it looks pretty amateurish.

What About Vinyl on Boats?

Vinyl (or leatherette) is easy to work with and can be warmed with a hot air gun or hair dryer to make it more supple. It is also very easy to fix to thin ply, using stainless steel staples and a staple gun.

For a more luxurious look on boats, foam can be fitted behind it or ready made foam-backed vinyl can be used. To make a professional looking head-lining, the trick is to cut 6mm ply panels to a perfect fit and then cover them with vinyl. They can then be screwed into place, making sure the screws are in a neat pattern and the screwheads can then be covered with either matching plastic caps or screw caps covered with the same vinyl. Caps like this are widely available from upholstery suppliers.

The finished job gives a really professional look on your boat but it needn’t end there. Once you start working with vinyl you will find a load of other areas that can be trimmed or covered to match. You may even consider making your own cushions. Try it. It really isn’t that difficult and the results are great.

The MP3 player has revolutionised music on the move, but only for those in the know. Boat Mart's Peter Caplen talks us through the technical intricacies of the modern music system for your boat.

Many ageing boaters have written off the MP3 player as yet another gadget for the young, entirely overlooking its suitability for providing music on board. Even as a gadget fan, I imagined it was nothing more than a new type of Walkman, designed for young people who constantly need something to fill the void between their ears.

Read more ...