Buffalo board - how easy to cut.

[Puffling]

Photos of the finished job would be appreciated. Might also help another boater doing a similar job.

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, magnetman said:

The OP implies that the straight parts are going to be cut by the supplier of the board. 

"The suppliers I’ve found on line will only cut straight lines and only a rectangular shape (ie with 90 degree angles). I need to cut curves for the rear corners."

But if you go down this route be aware that those who supply cut to size usually give themselves quite a tolerance on the dimensions. So if you want a good fit you may or may not get it, compared to buying slightly oversize and trimming down yourself.

[blackrose]

1 hour ago, Northener said:

Incidentally, the boat is aluminium and 20 years old and shows no signs of corrosion. No anodes needed either. 

 

Just be careful if you connect to shore power in a marina. You must have a working galvanic isolator or isolation transformer otherwise the steel boats and pilings around you may corrode your hull rather quickly as you're connected to them all via the common earth path.

Edited July 24, 2023 by blackrose

[Northener]

1 hour ago, blackrose said:

 

Just be careful if you connect to shore power in a marina. You must have a working galvanic isolator or isolation transformer otherwise the steel boats and pilings around you may corrode your hull rather quickly as you're connected to them all via the common earth path.

Not a problem with an aluminium boat. The prop does have a small cone anode but this is still ok after 2 years. 

[magnetman]

There have been horror stories but probably requires very specific circumstances. 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think corrosion is the right word there. 

[blackrose]

3 hours ago, Northener said:

Not a problem with an aluminium boat. The prop does have a small cone anode but this is still ok after 2 years. 

 

I'm afraid it definitely IS a problem with aluminium boats with onboard AC systems which hook up to shore power if they are correctly hull-earth bonded but lack any working form of galvanic isolation as they will become anodic.

 

That's just physics & electrochemistry.

 

 

Any decent aluminium boat builder will of course have fitted a galvanic isolator or isolation transformer but you should check it's working properly.

Edited July 24, 2023 by blackrose

[Iain_S]

38 minutes ago, Northener said:

Not a problem with an aluminium boat. The prop does have a small cone anode but this is still ok after 2 years. 

It's something I'm nervous about with ours (Gamebird), so I've never fitted a shore power input.

[blackrose]

2 minutes ago, Iain_S said:

It's something I'm nervous about with ours (Gamebird), so I've never fitted a shore power input.

 

Not a problem on shore power as long as it's properly isolated.

[Northener]

Forgot to mention, boat does have a galvanic isolator.

[Lizzy Lou]

I’ve recently fitted 18mm Hexaboard on my boat. The companies that provide pre-cut pieces charge an arm and a leg for the cutting. I just bought two 8’ x 4’ boards at £115 each. I cut them initially using a circular saw and a metal guide. Took them to the boat and trimmed them to size using a new handsaw. Finished the curved bits with a jigsaw, using masking tape on the Hexa surface to both draw the precise shape (I had the old boards for reference) and also to prevent fretting of the seen surface.

 

sealed all edges with epoxy resin.

 

All worked a treat. Just get on with it.

 

PS, I chose hexaboard because my boat is black. Buffalo board only seems to be available in dark brown?!

[LadyG]

4 hours ago, Lizzy Lou said:

I’ve recently fitted 18mm Hexaboard on my boat. The companies that provide pre-cut pieces charge an arm and a leg for the cutting. I just bought two 8’ x 4’ boards at £115 each. I cut them initially using a circular saw and a metal guide. Took them to the boat and trimmed them to size using a new handsaw. Finished the curved bits with a jigsaw, using masking tape on the Hexa surface to both draw the precise shape (I had the old boards for reference) and also to prevent fretting of the seen surface.

 

sealed all edges with epoxy resin.

 

All worked a treat. Just get on with it.

 

PS, I chose hexaboard because my boat is black. Buffalo board only seems to be available in dark brown?!

Mine must be Buffalo then, but it makes a nice change from all the blackness found on narrowboats.

I've inadvertently ordered an extra tin of grey-blue, so most of the black gloss which has not remained glossy will be changed. It's a good job I like painting.

[Puffling]

 

 

I've always loved this sentence, which is grammatically correct:

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo

First encountered in Steven Pinker's The Language Instinct.

[Alan de Enfield]

On 24/07/2023 at 18:41, Northener said:

Not a problem with an aluminium boat. The prop does have a small cone anode but this is still ok after 2 years. 

 

O yes it is - Aluminium will erode much quicker than steel - thats why Anodes are made from aluminium (to protect steel boats)

 

Alu is above steel on the galvanic scale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 26, 2023 by Alan de Enfield

[Cheshire cat]

Hexaboard might be black when you purchase it but 12 months in the sun will have bleached it to grey/brown

[blackrose]

On 26/07/2023 at 13:13, Alan de Enfield said:

 

O yes it is - Aluminium will erode much quicker than steel - thats why Anodes are made from aluminium (to protect steel boats)

 

Alu is above steel on the galvanic scale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

See my post above.

Edited July 27, 2023 by blackrose

[PhilR]

I replaced my stern deck boards about 4 years ago. 18mm hexaboard is good stuff.

I bought 8 x 4 sheets and cut them to size with a handsaw. The final finishing was done with a hand plane and detail sander. It is easy to work with. I sealed the edges with comastic and the boards are lasting really well.

Phil