Wood Interiors - Why?

[Islandmike]

The bottom line is...To each his/her own... same with a car or a house. We owned a 215 year old post and beam house. It was beautiful, 13" wide planked floors, huge beams supporting itself. We had freinds that would never live in a house like that, they had white interiors, with lots of chrome and plush carpets. Nice but not for me. We have a 40 year old sailboat, the hull is fiberglass, but the interior is wood, it is a very traditonal look, but it is open, bright and airy. I personally would not own a more modern type interior. And by the way there are some parts of the interior that are probably the original finish and it still looks great. So as I said, To each his/her own.

[Albro359]

I agree Mike...
Our boat is wood, built on mahogany frames and stringers BUT..I took off the teak deck cos it leaked...10,000 screw holes does not a watertight boat make...and glassed it...fantastic

Inside it is mahogany and white paint and it looks lovely...maintenance is not that big a deal...revarnish every few years...but that's a joy not a hardship.

I'd rather be on my boat than most modern hotels I've stayed in...its warm and comfortable and feels like home...chrome / glass....forget it as far as I'm concerned...there's more to sailing than just efficiency...quality of life gets me every time !

Good sailing !

Alan

[Islandmike]

Roger that Alan

[chala]

Wood is also so beautiful to work with. Fiberglass is quite basic - there is nothing to it. But wood! Going to a supplier and searching through his pile of exotic marine ply for a certain color, a certain texture, a certain pattern for the making of a table, a door, or a bulkhead. To apply different coatings and to see a beautiful color coming out is the reward of working with wood and the finished work is like a beautiful tropical sunset.

[Jetexas]

DefJef, why'd you have to post that link to the B-Yachts? I was happily unaware of their existence. Now I'm lusting for something else.

My Starwind is definitely getting some contemporary design cues as I put it back together. It didn't have THAT much wood to start with though.

And now I'm kind of wanting to paint the hull silver. lol

[Stevens 47]

Aesthetics aside I think that wood is easier to install and less labor to finish. Most of the shiny plastic finishes are made in molds thus reducing labor costs. I like the white interior finish, personal preferences. However the refit I am doing will mostly be teak veneered wood on most surfaces as it is much easier to finish. With any high gloss surface you see any and all variations, their for you have to do allot of fairing sanding...lots of labor. I think the reason most boats have wood interiors because of this...then it became the standard. Whats the quote Form equals function or something like that.

[S&S]

Form Follows Function.

A good dictum.

[DPMatty]

I think it's personal preference. I purchased a boat that was a clorox bottle inside, and, after redoing some of the structural work, took a sawzall to it and rebuilt the interior out of Mahogany with a Dutch cherry stain.

Yes there is upkeep, but to my eyes, it is beautiful. Then again I prefer judges paneling in the library...

There is a practical consideration too. Fiberglass is not bad. Fiberglass liners whtat don't allow you to access the entire boat and all the wiring, plumbing and other fittings, is.

I also prefer teak decks... Someday....

[Bash]

Originally Posted by DPMatty

I purchased a boat that was a clorox bottle inside, and, after redoing some of the structural work, took a sawzall to it and rebuilt the interior out of Mahogany with a Dutch cherry stain.

The job isn't finished until you've posted photos on the web.

[DPMatty]

Originally Posted by Bash

The job isn't finished until you've posted photos on the web.

Will do. I'm anchored in Block right now (fear I was getting a bit of the land crankiness setting in). Will update my profile when I get back.

[cburger]

After spending two summers on my knees re-seaming the decks on "Moon Dance”, the beautiful one inch thick, old growth Burmese teak is ready for another 30 years of service. I am just finishing up the eighth and final coat of "Bristol" finish on the boats cap rails, (Breathtaking). I have to admit that every once in a while I'll sneak a peak at a "J" boat and think, "What if I didn't have all this wood to deal with ?”. Then I snap back to reality. Wood is one of these issues that you either get it or you don't. I would never own a wood hulled sailboat, however I would never own a boat without a big beautiful, (Wooden) bowsprit, (A man thing). The other thought is that I actually enjoy the time spent working on my boat, (Almost as much as I like to sail).

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by S&S

Form Follows Function.
A good dictum.

A grossly over-quoted and almost universaly mis-understood dictum, almost always incorrectly quoted, and virtually meaningless without in depth examination.

Chicago skyscraper architect Louis Sullivan coined (1896) the phrase: “Form follows function”

* It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic,
Of all things physical and metaphysical,
Of all things human and all things super-human,
Of all true manifestations of the head,
Of the heart, of the soul,
That the life is recognizable in its expression,
That form ever follows function. This is the law

[S&S]

Originally Posted by GordMay

A grossly over-quoted and almost universaly mis-understood dictum, almost always incorrectly quoted, and virtually meaningless without in depth examination.

Chicago skyscraper architect Louis Sullivan coined (1896) the phrase: “Form follows function”

* It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic,
Of all things physical and metaphysical,
Of all things human and all things super-human,
Of all true manifestations of the head,
Of the heart, of the soul,
That the life is recognizable in its expression,
That form ever follows function. This is the law

Growing up here with some of Louie's buildings still around, his meaning is the one that's applied.
Thanks for providing the full quote.

[S&S]

Originally Posted by cburger

I would never own a wood hulled sailboat, however I would never own a boat without a big beautiful, (Wooden) bowsprit, (A man thing). The other thought is that I actually enjoy the time spent working on my boat, (Almost as much as I like to sail).

I've found the the hull maintenance part doesn't add much to the brightwork maintenance part. (Ours is all wood -except the sticks)
Sure it's somewhat more work than a glass hull, but not as much more as I guess some folks are thinking.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by S&S

Growing up here with some of Louie's buildings still around, his meaning is the one that's applied...

But what was his meaning?