Boards

I'm also pondering what to replace those boards with as well. It seems that wood (of any kind) is just going to have to be replaced eventually. I was thinking of just using plywood and soaking it in epoxy before covering it with carpet or something.

I looked at your pictures and you have the same Plywood Boards i have with the wood contact paper over them. I made the mistake of taking my boards off and ripping the contact paper off, which means they fell apart. My boat hasnt been in the water YET this ummer because of this. Looks as if the choices are a cheap easy pine, that can be replaced easily, or go for an expensive wood and take the chance that it will last longer.

Back in '89 when I restored my '77 Martinique, I just used 1x white pine and sealed the wood with bilge paint (I now know better and would use epoxy resin). 17 years later the carpeted "kick boards" were still solid.

Yes, but more like one piece of a 1x8. Basically, the board ran front to back with the bottom tight to the floor and continueing up about 2" higher than the horizontal shelf glassed to the side of the boat. The bottom of the "kick" board was anchored to the floor via blocks that were first screwed to the floor every so often. Then I screwed the bottom of the "kick" board to the blocks. The "kick" board was first carpeted with the carpet wrapped around to the back. At the front of the kick board, I cut it an angle that transitioned nicely into the side of the boat. On my boat, the shelf had a straight edge to mount the "kick" board to. the shelf assumed the curvature of the boat.   I can email pictures to you if you desire.

oh yea, the top of the "kick" board was screwed into the edge of the shelf.

You can get white oak from any good wood supplier. Look up hardwood in the yellow pages. As Tim said, cypress is also good and it is much softer and easer to work with.

Not use about that size but... we buy 4 x 8 x 3/4" for about 37.00 a sheet that’s about 1.15 a sqft. So I would guess about 75.00+/-. I've tested this stuff at work (I was skeptical about it) so took a piece and miced it then submerged it for a month and half submerged another and the swelling was very minimal and went back down.

Yeah, this artificial stuff sounds intresting, but i would like to keep it a wood so i can stain and seal it to make it look real nice. I also plan on reapplying the alluminum strip that tops the boards. Trying to keep it looking original.

Another thing you might consider is the decking boards sold by Home Depot and Lowes that is made of a polymer - doesn't fade, peel, etc., and comes in 12 foot lengths - and about twice the cost of wood... but will never need replacing.

Im in the process of replacing my combing pads and we are using marine grade plywood, Ill post pics next week they are completely custom.

I pulled out the kickboard on the stbd side of my '70 Mustang. It was pretty nasty, the wood is in decent condition but that vinyl that is stapled on with the stapled vinyl pockets to collect water are pretty much useless.

I would like to replace this also, does anyone have any good pictures of what they have done to these in the older CC's?