Should I use composite wood?

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- Colin Doyle

Q I'm in the process of replacing the complete floor and substructure of our 18ft glassfibre cabin cruiser, and have to replace the rotten softwood floor bearers that are glassed into the glassfibre hull.

The floor is about 5ft wide by 6ft long, the bearers are about 8ft long in total as they go through the stern locker back to the transom.

I am thinking of using composite wood - the sort of thing used for park benches and garden furniture etc-as this is practically rot-proof, being made from wood fibres and recycled plastic.

Do you see any problems with me using this, such as a differential in the expansion and contraction when the boat is in the water or parked up on its trailer? Or is there anything else you think I should be aware of?

Colin Doyle

Lyndon March replies: It doesn’t matter what your boat is made from; it seems that at some point you're going to have to deal with some soggy timber.

In this instance, it sounds like you are dealing with the most classic of them all, water eating away the internal structure of the hull.

You're also not the first to ponder the question of using recycled wood. I've seen it done and, personally, I think it should continue to be used on park benches-but then perhaps I should have a more open mind.