Thread: Wooden boats

Originally Posted by yobuck

Prior to about 1960, all of the larger boats used for offshore fishing were still built with wood.
Many of the smaller boats were also, using what was called a moulded plywood process.
Starting in the mid 50s a few builders were making fiberglass boats. Names like MFG, and Lyman were a few of the early ones.
Wood is still used today by many of the custom boat builders in places like the Carolinas, who create the most beautiful, fast, and seaworthy boats on the planet.
My first boat was bought new in 1954, and was a 14’ moulded plywood all natural mahogany.
It had a 4 cylinder 40 hp Mercury on it which at the time was the largest outboard motor built.

Sounds like an awesome boat

Originally Posted by skeetbum

They are a labor of love and pride. That was a winter project to scrape and repaint, friends when I was growing up had some. Small fishing boats for most, even lots of the rental boats were wood. Never worried about a little water in them, they told me it kept the wood swollen so it didn’t leak worse. I’d like to build one but don’t have a place to tie up for that long. Good project though.

Dad had a few plywood boats when I was growing up.