Wooden cratch board

[NB Tranquillity 1]

The existing cratch on my narrowboat is built from softwood and is ,as you would expect, going rotten. I want to have it replaced in varnished hardwood so any suggestions on which hardwood to use?

Gary 

[Machpoint005]

The one you can get? Are we talking about the cratch (vertical board at the front) or the king plank (horizontal, front to back)?

[NB Tranquillity 1]

Vertical triangularish shape at the front, plank on top and roof board(?) at the bulkhead. I can get oak which looks great but have been told it doesn't like water and turns black.

[GUMPY]

Iroko.

 

[Tracy D'arth]

Or Keruing.  Meranti for colour.

[jacko264]

I worked with Keruing  for years and it’s a good tight grain wood  but it’s terrible for resins coming out of it 

so it’s no good to varnish on 

graham 

[dave moore]

I’ve made deckboards out of ply, then treating them with West System resin before painting. Just a thought....

[GUMPY]

1 minute ago, dave moore said:

I’ve made deckboards out of ply, then treating them with West System resin before painting. Just a thought....

The original board on Loddon was painted ply, lasted 25 years