Replacing/repairing teak plywood

[seasailor55]

Greetings,

I need some advice on replacing/repairing teak plywood in the interior of a 1984 Cape Dory 22. The boat's interior is in good shape except for one spot. I have attached a photo of the interior, with the damaged area visible at the lower left, just above the cabin sole. Apparently, at some time in the past, the sink drain hose leaked and water pooled up in the base of the teak plywood cabinet, causing the bottom 6" of the plywood to delaminate inside and out. The drain was evidently repaired and the plywood is dry. I now have an area 6" X 18" of discolored and shedding teak plywood veneer. I would prefer not to rip the cabinet out as it is tied in to the bulkhead and quarter berth, and is sound except for the one area. Is there a way to repair this in place?.

[Tallystick]

Is the plywood ok, but just the veneer is coming off? If so you can buy teak veneer.

[seasailor55]

I thought about just adding veneer and found a source for small sheets. Unfortunately, the plywood in this area is compromised. It's 3/8" and I can push it in and out of shape with my fingers. Maybe I could use some penetrating epoxy to firm up the laminate, then apply the teak veneer and possibly add a thin shoe moulding, with a matching one on the starboard locker. There are no structural loads on the front of the locker, and this is mainly cosmetic, but the rest of the interior is in great condition, and I hate to have shedding discolored plywood in such an obvious place. To be honest, since Cape Dory boats have the reputation of being well built, I'm a little surprised that the plywood wasn't sealed in some way at the factory, given the close proximity of water in the sink.

[Quetzalsailor]

You can certainly reveneer stuff. You can veneer new plywood. You can make your own small pieces of plywood.

I'd be unwilling to work on my knees for long enough to repair that plywood in place and veneer it to a standard that would match the boat. Cut it out and install a new piece. You might wish to not take the whole piece out, but to put a patch in that looks like it was done on purpose.

[seasailor55]

Agree with you there. Not much space on the cabin sole, especially bending down to the bottom of the locker. However, I might be able to cut out the bottom of the locker front straight across the bottom of the door opening and splice in a new panel with teak veneer without too much trouble. I'll try to get a close up photo.

[Zach]

I would not try to match a plywood veneer, use this as an opportunity to install a whale foot pump for the galley sink. Repairs are repairs, and modifications can always make a repair look like it was intentional. Grin.

To take it apart and not tear the world up, put some blue masking tape across the plywood. Lay a straight edge across the veneer and score all the way through the tape and the veneer with a box cutter.Do this above where the repair needs to be made. Use a metal cutting blade in your jig saw and cut through it. You can cut the blades shorter, so depending on the stroke of your saw, you can make it stubby... Just a cut off wheel on a dremel or grinder to the blade. Or use a handsaw...

I'd do one of two things...

I would cut out the bad plywood, and scribe a nice piece of 1/2 or 3/4 teak to cover the area with some vents either a 1/2 inch slot or two, or a 2 inch hole saw with two or three holes then running a router around the inside and outside... attach it with some bronze screws and trim rings. If teak is to much $$, get some afromoisa or spanish cedar and oil it. Soon enough it will look like it was always there.

Barring that, I'd cut out a toe kick, and use a piece of 3/4 round teak trim along the bottom of the existing veneer. A dab of hot glue and some epoxy or wood glue will make it stick without screws as that stuff is finicky. Then I'd make a right angle foot box 3 inches or so deep to house the foot pump. This could have two aluminum or stainless right angle brackets holding it to the inside of the cabinet. Hard to put in, but also invisible unless laying on the cabin sole with your eye flat to the floor.

You might have to add a cleat or two to catch it. A few small clamps and some #1 square drive trim screws with a dab of titebond 2 or three would be a 15 minute deal, very straight forward. Epoxy is overkill unless you have something else open at the same time and adds waiting overnight. I've had poor luck with 5 minute epoxy, as it doesn't seem to wet out into wood like thinner resins.

Zach

[seasailor55]

Unfortunately, I can't mount a foot pump there. There is a fiberglass molding in the locker bottom, almost like a raised floor in the compartment, that the plywood fits against and covers up. I think I'll take your suggestion (shortened jig saw blade) and cut out the offending plywood straight across the bottom of the locker door opening, then splice in a piece of plywood with a teak veneer. Once stained to match, it should be hardly noticable, and I will seal the plywood and drill some drain holes to prevent this from happening again. Thanks for the advice.