POLY Sheeting

How about composite decking you can cut it in half it is plastic and wood mixed togeather and has pretty good resistance to being banged around you can also calk between the boards. I am think you might have to sand of rough up the edges for some types of calking to stick but building a boat I would use something really hot that would bind to the boards.

you can also contact the Plastic Manufactures Assocation they will send you out a packet of samples that are manufactured by their group with ph numbers and address to contact them.

I'd go with PVC. I don't know anything about this site, but they carry it in your desired thickness.

http://freckleface.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/pvcsheet.html

You might check this stuff out....

Polyethylene CPG Seaboard

http://www.jfreeman.com/panels.html

Cool!!!

The non-slip stuff would be perfect for that guy that wanted to replace his pontoon decking with aluminum.

Just got back in.

I will look over the sites you all sent and the comments.

may have a few moer questions. The big issue is i need it hold up at 1500' depths without getting water soakd like marine ply wood does.

thank you all.

So, is this a tank/platform or??

I assume that it will be submerged, but what is it for.

Water absorption will be much less with any plastic than with the wood.

Otter doors for deep sea work ( sampling).

Steel is too heavy for some of these smaller boats and too over kill on design.

I have a simple design that is a few steps 'up' from this really standard door shown. The new design works very well but the wood get water logged at depths below 600'.

Single Otter door is shown ( one of a pair) the Great Lakes .....300-450 ft. deep area.

Doing more work deeper( Pacific) and would like to keep a simple design NOT the 300 and 400kg steel doors used on commercial boats. BUT, I need a material that will NOT kink when hit , does not absorb water and has the same strength as plywood or better.

I'd look at 129CBRider's suggestion.

http://www.superslide.com/airboat-polymer.php

This stuff has been tested up to 100 mph on dry land along Alligator Alley on liquor runs from Shark Valley to Homestead and back with no damage whatsoever!

Although I know of no one who has retrieved it from depths of more than 20' while still attached to their boat bottom, I'm sure it will work at any depth you want.

Actually you want this page...

http://www.superslide.com/gallery/5-sheets-parts_9.php

I have sent every lead you all gave me , a note to contact me.

I asked for a sample to bang on and drill into.

Thank you all.

When I read your OP, I realized I work with something that is probably just what you are after.

Solid phenolic. Toilet partitions are sometimes made of this stuff, so there are a number of sources in place. 3/4" thick, saw it on a table saw, router edges with wood tools, drills easily and holds wood screws...

Many to select from, here is a link for METPAR.

thank you. will contact them .

Yes, that stuff is tough.

Danger, Will Robbinson! Danger, Will Robbinson!

The bathroom panels are not a homgeneous material.

they are a phenolic core with a laminated skin.

"Shall be manufactured of solid phenolic core material 3/4in. thick with high pressure matte finish melamine surfaces"

I'd discount this out of hand. Sorry Doorman.

Oooops! You guys won't let me get away with anything!

The manufacturer I offered is, indeed, laminated over a phenolic core. Just shows that some diligence is ALWAYS required.

Global Color-Thru™ is a solid product. There are others as well... I don't know if all of the partition manufacturers all buy panel stock from the same plastic manufacturer or not, there may be different plastic formulations out there.

I've gotta think UHMW PE is the way to go. Rigidity may, or may not be an issue.

It will float, barely, which should not matter.

The only folks who actually showed an interest in sending me samples and talking with me were the folks Solar eagle suggested SEA BOARD .

The others just told me to read about them at websites.... which in my business usually means " we just sell it ."

Sea Board is sending me sample to bang on and drill.

UHMAPE is the same type material I use in some high end nets. It is made from Dyneema™ and is sold under several trade names. EXCELLENT material, super high strength. I will see what Sea Board has and if not what i need, I'll start shopping for the High end PE board.

If you all know of any good soruces for this, drop me a line.

Thank you as usual.

Plastic Parts - Whether you need one prototype or ten thousand units, no job is too big or too small for Horn Plastics. Our meticulous workmanship achieves a standard that is unrivaled.

It would appear that these guys will actually make it for you if you give them a good enough drawing. Then you could copyright it and sell it industry wide and just lounge around on your boat drinking beer all day for the rest of your life!

I do not need small parts or even special cut out parts, just a 3/4" to 1" sheeting that will meet up to my specs mentioned at the beginning.

See the picture at post #14.

I also need to get a sample in my hands to bang on and drill into to test first.

Thank you.

Fiberglass

A last resort. I need something that will not chip or splinter. I have spent way too many days and night with painful hands and finger tips due to woking with splintered fiberglass.

It woukd work though and it will be my material of last resort.

Thank you for the input. Hope the clean up from Sandy is going well. Been there, done that and bought the "T" shirt.

Don't give up on the Superslide stuff...I was serious about it being able to run 100 mph on dry land screwed to the bottom of an airboat with barely a scratch.

http://youtu.be/2WlrVUjwq4g
This is an aluminum hulled airboat with the poly Superslide fastened to the bottom of it.The impact forces from running it like this over and over and over are far greater than what you will ever experience on your door on the bottom at 600'.