Starboard alternative?

[mncruiser]

Does anyone have a decent, cheaper "starboard" alternative that you've had good luck with?

I was in a bind once and used a cheap Wal-Mart cutting board to mount an item in a wet location on my last boat. It worked surprisingly well for the $6 I spent.

I'm planning a project on my boat where I'm going to want to use some more structural material. I'm making a saddle of sorts for the aluminum beams that support my floor hatch panels on my Mainship 390. Currently I have to remove 8 screws per beam to get the beams out. Another member here just did this, but I can't find the thread.

Anyway, I feel like I'd like to avoid the cheap cutting board lumber for this project. I walk by stuff at the big box stores, all the composite decking and similar materials. Curious your thoughts on this or something you've had good luck with.

Thanks!

 

[Gdavid]

McMaster-Carr sell fiberglass in various dimensions. It would be expensive for a large item but probably cost effective for what you are looking to do.

https://www.mcmaster.com/plastics/composites/

 

[C lectric]

Starboard is a High Density polyethylene with a high load of pigments to make the colours but also to protect against sunlight UV degredation.

If you don't need pretty then look for simply High Density polyethylene at plastics distributors. With the stuff being used for beam supports in an out of the sun location it could work well.

I will say the same about UHMWPE , a higher density relative of the HDPE and should be available in black and maybe more available in short ends.

Both are easily cut and worked with standard woodworking tools it could be suitable. Both are very tough.

I have been out of this for to long to have any idea of cost anymore.

Of course fiberglass sheet should work well too. You could lay that up yourself and cut it to suit. However it is no where near as friendly to your tools , you or your shop. Dust and hard on say blades.

 

[Comodave]

Maybe a photo of what you are trying to do would help. I love Starboard but it is indeed dear. The deck quality may work fine for your purpose but show us what you are trying to do and we can give a better opinion.

 

[Benthic2]

What's wrong with good old fashioned pressure treated lumber ?

 

[mncruiser]

Maybe a photo of what you are trying to do would help. I love Starboard but it is indeed dear. The deck quality may work fine for your purpose but show us what you are trying to do and we can give a better opinion.

I’m building a “saddle” for the aluminum beams you see going across the hatch, they support the floor when floor is down. Specifically the one not exposed completely in this picture. I want to be able to pull up the floor, and for that particular beam only- be able to lift it out. Currently it takes 8 screws to get it out. I’m not able to get down on that side(stbd)of the engine without removing the beam.

 

[lwarden]

Starboard is a good product for your application. I'm not sure where you are located but some plastic suppliers who do fabrication also have off-cuts for sale by the pound for far less than standard Starboard prices. It's hit-or-miss but I've had good luck dropping by and if I see some good sized pieces I grab a few for future projects. Our local supplier is ePlastics in San Diego who have off-cuts. If you don't want to fabricate these parts there are many companies who can CNC route them from a drawing pretty inexpensively.

 

[tiltrider1]

Wood is a cheaper alternative to Starboard. In your case plywood.

 

[utclmjmper]

I bought some composite decking material from HD last year,, the first time I have used it.. I built a set of stairs for a front porch that had weather badly in the past.. I found the material to be surprisingly easy to work with and tough as an old railroad nail in use..
I would not hesitate to use it for support structures as you describe,, impervious to moisture,, will not warp,,and never needs painting..>>>Dan

 

[Comodave]

Wood is a cheaper alternative to Starboard. In your case plywood.

Agree that plywood would work well for this application.

 

[Marco Flamingo]

I've never found a good use for starboard. Expensive, doesn't hold screws, can't be glued, sags under stress. Makes an okay cutting board, but I can't figure out why it is popular for other projects. When I built my shop/garage I used Azek trim for windows and Trex for the window sills. Having scraps of both left over, I've found many uses for them onboard. Azek, being PVC, can be screwed and glued to make structural components. I'd never trust starboard for that.

I guess starboard stays clean looking because it is so slippery. When looks are more important than function, it might be a choice.

 

[koliver]

I bought some composite decking material from HD last year,, the first time I have used it.. I built a set of stairs for a front porch that had weather badly in the past.. I found the material to be surprisingly easy to work with and tough as an old railroad nail in use..
I would not hesitate to use it for support structures as you describe,, impervious to moisture,, will not warp,,and never needs painting..>>>Dan

My experience is with a composite decking material from Windsor Plywood (don't have a handy HD) called Trex. Available at HD: https://www.homedepot.ca/product/tr...ing-board-pebble-grey-1-in-x-6-in-/1001107135
After a few years, it changed dimensions significantly, by acting more like the plastic that is in it than like the wood (sawdust) that is also in it. On my deck, it was laid with a 1/8" gap between the boards. That gap went away, and now, in order to drain rainwater I have a series of 1/4" holes at all of the low points. Its colour has also changed. Mine is grey, still is, just not a uniform colour any more, and not improved by power washing.
For an interior use, the colour is a non-issue, but especially where it would be warmed by the heat of the engine room, the plastic issue would present itself.

 

[Comodave]

I've never found a good use for starboard. Expensive, doesn't hold screws, can't be glued, sags under stress. Makes an okay cutting board, but I can't figure out why it is popular for other projects. When I built my shop/garage I used Azek trim for windows and Trex for the window sills. Having scraps of both left over, I've found many uses for them onboard. Azek, being PVC, can be screwed and glued to make structural components. I'd never trust starboard for that.

I guess starboard stays clean looking because it is so slippery. When looks are more important than function, it might be a choice.

Oh, I do not agree at all. I use Starboard for all kinds of things. On a previous boat I made exterior doors out of 1/2” and 1” Starboard. Replaced lots of teak items with Starboard. I routinely use it to make panels out of for different things and to cover holes from obsolete equipment. I use scraps to make spacers so the batteries do not move at all. Starboard doesn’t absorb any spilled electrolyte in the battery boxes. There are some things it doesn’t do well but there are way more things that it does well at. I never throw away scraps of Starboard since it is so pricey and eventually I will find a use for the scraps.

 

[psneeld]

I ordered a couple pieces of ABS sheet and it is very similar to Starboard. I cant sall all characteristics are nearly the same but I used it in a lot of applications.

Wayyyy cheaper about 6 years ago.

 

[Simi 60]

Wood is a cheaper alternative to Starboard. In your case plywood.

Not only cheaper but considerably lighter

 

[ksanders]

What's wrong with good old fashioned pressure treated lumber ?

Not a darn thing.

Ground contact pressure treated lumber and plywood is structural, glues and screws well, and is impervious to rot.

 

[jimdavi]

Not a darn thing.



Ground contact pressure treated lumber and plywood is structural, glues and screws well, and is impervious to rot.

Really, have never seen wood not eventually rot.

 

[ksanders]

Really, have never seen wood not eventually rot.

Ground contact pressure treated wood is designed to be in a wet hot humid environment forever.

It is actually rated by ATSM I believe for use in ground contact applications.

The stuff will not rot.

 

[wkearney99]

View attachment 127826

I’m building a “saddle” for the aluminum beams you see going across the hatch, they support the floor when floor is down. Specifically the one not exposed completely in this picture. I want to be able to pull up the floor, and for that particular beam only- be able to lift it out. Currently it takes 8 screws to get it out. I’m not able to get down on that side(stbd)of the engine without removing the beam.

To clarify, you want to change how the support 'beam' (slat?) is connected? Changing it from using screws into the adjacent frame to a slotted-in sort of setup?

Not an odd idea, but I'd worry that using starboard/hdpe for this might not give anywhere near the same support AND rigidity of the screwed connection. This would seem like a situation better served with a metal slot of some sort, custom fabricated for the job. And if not designed to use the existing slat, perhaps something totally new designed to do the same sort of thing, but with removability in mind.

 

[neworleansrich]

Sort of off topic: but about a year ago I was able to purchase a 5ft x9ft (I think) sheet of 1/2in thick Starboard from the local Piedmont Plastics Distributor. Much cheaper than the marine suppliers, plus local pick up. Piedmont has distributors around the country.

I needed some larger pieces to cover an old counter top area on a flybridge. Made a pattern, cut it out, rounded some edges, and screwed it down.

 

[tiltrider1]

Starboard has its place as does ABS and wood. There is no one product for all applications however there is plenty of overlap.

In general I disagree with the negative comments toward Starboard but if not engineered correctly sagging and screw rip out can be an issue.

My dingy cradle handles a 1000 lbs dink. The starboard needs no maintenance and the dink can be easily slid back and forth on the cradle when needed. This cradle has been from LA to Vancouver during the last 6 years with no issues.

 

[Comodave]

Yes, I love Starboard, never need to refinish it, works with regular tools and is slippery. The slippery can be good or bad depending on the application. But it isn’t for every application. It will sag over time and it usually has to be mechanically fastened. There is a glue for it but the tool to apply it is pretty dear for a single usage. But if I can figure out a way to use it in a project it is my first choice for the reasons above.

 

[C lectric]

I bought a sheet of a competitive product of Starboard for my exterior locker, wooden doors which were falling apart even after some repairs.
The Starboard at 10+ years still looks good and is doing a good job.
I have also found it holds screws very well IF piloting is done properly for the material.
I still find uses for the left overs.

As said pick it for the right application and it will do a good job, pick it for the wrong application and it will do a poor job. Just like ANY other material whether wood, metal or a plastic.

However, in this case a treated wood may do just a well. Except maybe for splitting.

What is the beam shape, a TEE? If so then you could simply cut several small pieces for each end with a gap between to allow for the rib. The Tee beam would simply sit on the flat pieces on either side of the rib with the rib preventing side to side movement.

 

[HopCar]

Check Home Depot. They sell pvc boards and pvc foam sheets that are a lot cheaper than Starboard and may work for you.
https://www.homedepot.com/b/Lumber-...-Boards-PVC-Boards/Vinyl/N-5yc1vZchzpZ1z0vb2m

 

[mncruiser]

To clarify, you want to change how the support 'beam' (slat?) is connected? Changing it from using screws into the adjacent frame to a slotted-in sort of setup?

Not an odd idea, but I'd worry that using starboard/hdpe for this might not give anywhere near the same support AND rigidity of the screwed connection. .

Great points. Well, haha, this picture is my inspiration. Yes, it’s not good:

But the idea is solid. I do like the idea of some sort of mating bracket that would be structurally secure. My plan was to make a single piece saddle similar to the monstrosity pictured (apologies if this is your boat and you did this, no offense intended it’s a great idea) and mine would be thicker and a single stronger piece.

I’ll be on the boat in a few weeks and may take a closer look at the bracket idea. The good news is the beam I was planning to do this on is far starboard, normal operation it is covered by a couch that spans over the entire hatch so very little pressure on it. But I do like the idea of a stronger connection.

 

[mncruiser]

Check Home Depot. They sell pvc boards and pvc foam sheets that are a lot cheaper than Starboard and may work for you.

https://www.homedepot.com/b/Lumber-...-Boards-PVC-Boards/Vinyl/N-5yc1vZchzpZ1z0vb2m

I went to both Home Depot and Lowes this evening. I found the same pvc boards. My concern is I could push a fingernail right into the material, it seemed a little weaker than I expected. For something non-structural would probably work well. Thanks!

 

[mncruiser]

What is the beam shape, a TEE? If so then you could simply cut several small pieces for each end with a gap between to allow for the rib. The Tee beam would simply sit on the flat pieces on either side of the rib with the rib preventing side to side movement.

The beam shape is a T shape. Exactly, kind of the idea. The picture I posted was something I had seen somewhere where someone did something similar. I was thinking a single piece with a cut out would be stronger and cleaner.

 

[C lectric]

The beam shape is a T shape. Exactly, kind of the idea. The picture I posted was something I had seen somewhere where someone did something similar. I was thinking a single piece with a cut out would be stronger and cleaner.

A single piece, I agree would be stronger. It just depends though on how much hang down there will be and would it then become a head banger.

If the flanges of the Tee are 2" wide each then two single pieces of ???? that are about twice that length would be sturdy.

I think I would use the two side pieces for the flanges to actually sit on rather than the rib sitting on the piece below. The side pieces could then be much longer for a couple more screws. You would simply need to cut the side pieces for an easy drop in of the end plate or add some material to space the side pieces out a bit more than the end plate thickness.

 

[mncruiser]

A single piece, I agree would be stronger. It just depends though on how much hang down there will be and would it then become a head banger.

If the flanges of the Tee are 2" wide each then two single pieces of ???? that are about twice that length would be sturdy.

I think I would use the two side pieces for the flanges to actually sit on rather than the rib sitting on the piece below. The side pieces could then be much longer for a couple more screws. You would simply need to cut the side pieces for an easy drop in of the end plate or add some material to space the side pieces out a bit more than the end plate thickness.

Yep, I like that idea. Thank you!

 

[Bacchus]

USE ALUMINUM
How about using 2 pcs of alum angle (`or flat stock) per end.
Cut the beam tab (with existing screw holes) to a 45° angle on both sides of the T leg.
Mount the two angle pcs at 45° angle screwed into the beam similar to existing.
The beam now drops into a V slot for location & support.
The only odd cutting /machining would be the 45° cuts of the beam end tabs. Do you know anyone with a power hacksaw? Or just ask a local shop to cut them cleanly. Even the angle is not critical as you just mount the angle supports to match what ever the beam is. The only other cuts are straight cut off of stock and not critical... drill & countersink screw holes for mounting... could switch to through bolts of you have access to the backside of the support beams.