Foam PVC plastic panels

[JonnyBoats]

Has anyone used foam PVC plastic panels?

I found where one gentleman used them as headliner on a C&C 40 http://www.wbryant.com/StellaBoat/Proje ... adlinr.htm and was quite pleased.

Here is a source for the panels http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=342& along with a description.

[Capn_Tom]

The red would be lovely.

[Quetzalsailor]

(John and I both own North East 38s)

Happily, I still have the original embossed hardboard (European masonite might be a better description) headliner and it still looks reasonably good. Unhappily, some of the wood strips to which it's screwed are in poor shape. Even more unhappily, the hardboard was probably sold in 4'x8' sheets: there are only a few joints, the edges are normally concealed behind the wood interior trim, the grab rails are fastened through it, and it went in before the head bulkheads.

I plan to lead lines aft which will include turning blocks at the partners, organizers, rope clutches and a winch. To add backup blocks and bolts, all the headliner will have to come out which means disturbing the woodwork.

Using the pvc seems like a good idea, particularly if you no longer have the hardboard to repaint and reinstall. The negatives are several: I fear that the stuff would sag over time; it might have even less resistance to deformation than the hardboard, it will require more joints and either plastic or wood trim, there will be myriad exposed fasteners (the example you gave looks pretty awful in that respect).

Similar foamed PVC is sold for building exterior trim. AZEK is one brand. You can mill it like wood (mouldings, rabbets and beads) and, except for dimensional stability due to temperature it works well. Heavier than wood. Sands and paints perfectly well.

[deckhand]

fiberglass sheets from home depot would work well too. Smooth on one side, bumpy on the other and $24 ish for a 4x10(I think). They have them in stock for use in showers and bathroom installations.

[Quetzalsailor]

Excellent thought! Those fiberglass sheets are also sold for lining commercial kitchens and similar food prep spaces. They're usually installed with cheezo-trim channels and plastic-buttoned screws. But surely we can devise something yacht-worthy. If you can get it up neatly, then it won't droop over time like the PVC could.

Also to be solved is that plastic-y sheen. Maybe not so bad on the overhead but a soft 'eggshell' would be better. I'd hate to paint it and make it vulnerable to the inevitable scrubbing a boat headliner gets.

We had thought to use that stuff to make removable port covers to keep sunlight from damaging the interior fabric and varnish, but hadn't gotten around to it. Like other older boats, the NE 38 has huge ports and hatches so our woodwork is quite sunbleached.

[Rachel]

I spent some time living aboard a Baba 30 of which the original headliner panels were a very glossy white. On one of the sections the glossy overlay had failed, and a PO had painted that panel with a not-very-glossy off-white. Although I knew gloss reflected light, of course, I was amazed at the difference in those panels. The glossy ones just bounced light around like nobody's business, and even seemed to increase it. The area of the settee under the non-glossy panel was dark by comparison.

Not saying there's no place for non-glossy overhead panels, but I just wanted to mention how dramatic a difference I found. We were mostly living by kerosene lantern light, so of course we paid keen attention to such things.

[JMS]

I saved a post from Sailing Anarchy regarding headliners. The material used was ?Sintra.? A Google search on Sintra will return thousands of hits -> it is commonly used in all types of signage, displays, etc. It is also used by a lotta folks that are restoring trailers and motor homes. In fact I got a lot of good info from a site that deals with the restoration of GMC vans and motor homes. Anyway, here is the text of the post from SA:

?I used Sintra with thin mahogany battens. Sintra is a PVC plastic that the signage industry uses, it has V-0 fire rating, it's light [floats], has UV resistance and wipes clean. I can't remember the thickness used [I think, 1/16", imperial], but it can be cut with scissors and weighed about 18 pounds all up. Here is a photo.?

And here is the photo mentioned:

[mbousley]

Just bought (10) 4'X8' 1/4 sheets to intall in my 1978 Islander 36 Freeport. Did a small test with the product and love the way it looks.
The 1/4" is very plyable but riggid enough that it will not sag. The product that I used is called Palight.