I got fiberglass board from McMaster and cut it to fit. It's thin and very light. I reinforced it with crossmembers, but it's still way lighter than a wood deck.
Check the Cleveland build, page one. Shows how to install as well. McMaster-Carr. Look on the website for fiberglass boards. 8549K52 Electrical-Grade Fiberglass Sheet (Gp03) 1/16" Thick, 12" X 24" In stock at $8.78 Each
Marking the outline ------------------- First, get a fullsized template from your plans. I usually photocopy a plan, tape the sheets together, and cut it out. I have also traced the hull outline on large sheets of mylar that I got in an art store. Use a black permanent marker to draw a centerline on a white melamine shelf. Then trace the outline of the deck onto the shelf. Next, determine where you want your hatches and take measurements. There is no need to draw the entire hatch. You can just mark the start and end points on the shelf if you want. Making the hatches ------------------ Now make the hatches. My method is to cut the hatch in .060 styrene, Be sure to mark the center of the hatches. Run another length of .060 styrene, or even better, .125 styrene,along the outer edge of the hatch to form a lip. A solid piece of .125 styrene also works very well. This is good if weight is not a factor and if the deck hatch is on a flat part of the deck (ie no sheer) I have also used acrylic for hatches. If using acrylic then a simple sheet without the extra layer along the edge is fine. The outside edge of the hatch is then beveled to make it easier to get the hatch out of the deck later. This can be done by sanding but styrene quarter round works very well for this. If the hatch is large then you can run some styrene strips diagonally across the hatch to stiffen it. I have made hatches up to 14" long using styrene, but I am not sure if larger hatches would be practical. Laying in the FG ---------------- Now position the hatches (upside down) directly on the melamine shelf alinging with the centerline markings and the reference points on the shelf. Place weights on the hatches to keep them in place. The hatches should lie flat on the shelf. You can, if you want, apply some masking tape along the inside edge of the hatch lip, with one edge of the tape unattached and sticking in the air. This will act as a barrier to keep the gel-coat and resin from flowing over the edge of the lip. Brush on a coat of gelcoat to the entire area of the deck making sure that the entire outline of the deck is covered. Apply the gelcoat directly on the hatch covering the bevel and up on the lip. Be careful not to let the gelcoat flow over the cover the other side of the lip, or it will make hatch removel difficult. You can apply the gelcoat directly to the styrene. If won't dissolve it (at least it hasn't dissolved the stuff I use). If you are uncomfortable doing this, a layer of masking tape on the hatch lip should help, and it will ease the removal of the hatch later. Be careful not let the tape wrap around to the top (the part touching the melamine) of the hatch as it will lift the hatch off the shelf. A light touch with the brush is nice - try to avoid forcing gelcoat under the hatch. When the gelcoat has set you can apply the first layer of fibreglass. Cut the cloth into stips of various widths. It is a good idea to make some to exactly fit the gaps between the hatches. Now apply the resin and FG cloth to the deck. Do a small area at a time. Brush on a thin layer of resin and then apply the FG cloth. The first layer should run along the edges of the hatches, but not mount the lip. Don't overlap the pieces of cloth. The second layer is now applied. The FG should be applied so that the areas betwen the the pieces of the first layer are covered with the pieces of the second. The second layer should run up onto and cover the lip of hatch. Again, be careful not to let the resin run over the other side of the lip. Run some extra layers bewteen the hatches. You can glass in a brass rod across the deck to stiffen it if the deck is wide, or if it will carry the weight of the superstructure. edgeview Removing the new deck, and extracting the hatches ------------------------------------------------- When the FG has set you can remove it from the melamine shelf. It will simply pop off. Lift a corner of the deck initially by slipping an exacto blade under one edge. Once that is loose a screwdriver can be used. The outline of the hull drawn with the permanent marker will have been picked up by the gelcoat and can be used to trim the deck to fit the hull. Once the deck is off it is time to remove the hatches. This can be moderately difficult if resin has flowed over the edge of the hatch lip, and especially so, if the gelcoat has bled between the the hatch and the shelf. In this case you will have to use your dremel or exacto to score the gelcoat along the hatch edge. In any event, once the hatch is out it will not go back in without some light sanding of the hatch or the deck opening or both. If you used a layer of masking tape around the hatch lip things should fit with much less drama.
ive seen an interesting deisgn using thin plexiglass, perspex, basically the caprail is inserted with a lip on top ___ | -- |__ kinda like that, if it makes sense the the flexable plexiglass is bent under the lip all the way around fits well wont break and is extra light
It can be I don't do the fancy one, but using the fiberglass board from McMaster, it is. Harder to get the little lines drawn on it to simulate planking, but lighter. The fiberglass decking costs about twice what a wood deck does, but that's not bad even at that... (12"x48" plywood ~$9... 12"x24" fiberglass ~$9)
I am having trouble trimming out my MOG. I have built three superstructures so far. Each on elighter than the previous one. But now I am at a point where I can not reduce any more weight from the structure!
Can you trim some weight off the guns? If you're using the fast gun style with a brass elbow at the top, that's a fair bit of weight above deck; you could conceivably file the sides of the elbow some (or dremel, etc) to reduce weight. How thick are your turrets? trim the material a little thinner! Lest you think I'm going overboard, ocean yacht racers cut their toothbrushes in half to save weight. On a 30,000 pound yacht (or heavier). Every bit counts! Every bit topside counts double!
For the top elbow on the guns, I have been working with a plastic elbow. The brass was just too heavy.
