Bruynzeel Marine Plywood

Discussion in 'Wooden Boat Building and Restoration' started by tinpin4544, Apr 29, 2015.

  1. tinpin4544
    Joined: Dec 2013
    Posts: 12
    Likes: 0, Points: 1, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: 06066

    tinpin4544 Junior Member

    Last year I drove 2 hours up to Boulter Plywood in MA to get some nice 4' by 8' sheets of Meranti for my jonboat build (based on Steve Lewis' LilJon and LilJon Pup). I stored the sheets up off the ground in the garage, but a wet roll of carpet ended up placed against 1 sheet. By the time I discovered this, a section was water-stained and had mold spots. The affected piece was a full sheet of 3/8" for the hull, and since I planned to fiberglass (with Aeromarine epoxy and 6 oz. fiberglass cloth), I panicked, thinking I might have rot or, at the very least, wouldn't get a good connection. I didn't want the long drive again, so I called around and found a place that said they had 3/8" Meranti. I drove down and bought it, but when I got home I looked on the stamp and it said Lloyd's 1088 Bruynzeel. It has fewer plies (5, with 9 for my Hydrotek), and it is 10 lbs. lighter. I tried to research it, but didn't find much. I think it is a type of Okoume with a special glue. I went ahead and installed it, and it took the curve at the bow easily. Is this good marine ply? Should I go heavier than 6 oz. fiberglass on it? And, is there any way to salvage my old Meranti with the water damage? Sorry this is such a long post.
  2. Canracer
    Joined: Aug 2009
    Posts: 621
    Likes: 9, Points: 18, Legacy Rep: 47
    Location: Florida

    Canracer Senior Member

    Meranti and Okume are both good. The Okume is about 10 lbs lighter per sheet, if I remember right. You could always plane off the outer moldy ply. The damage might be shallow.
  3. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
    Posts: 19,133
    Likes: 476, Points: 93, Legacy Rep: 3967
    Location: Eustis, FL

    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    I don't know what you have, but Meranti is quite different looking than Okoume, so an ID should be simple. If the wood is relatively light in color (natural state) with maybe a pink tint, it's Okoume. If the grain is coarse and the color moderately dark, especially if wet, it's Meranti.

    Hydrotek is a brand name for meranti sheets built to the BS-1088 standard. I've never seen it in any other species. Bruynzeel is brand (not really) of Okoume and usually reserved for BS-1088 sheets only. Bruynzeel is actually the French company that makes this plywood. Meranti is also often used in a BS-6566 sheet and branded Aquatek.

    In terms of damage, it's probably simply some staining, so sand it off, encapsulate and call it a day. Formerly wet or stained sheets are easily saved with a DA, some 120 grit and some elbow grease.
  4. peter radclyffe
    Joined: Mar 2009
    Posts: 1,415
    Likes: 61, Points: 58, Legacy Rep: 680
    Location: europe

    peter radclyffe Senior Member

    Bruynzeel is a Lloyd's Approved good ply in Holland and England, we used it for 2 new 72 foot strip plank cedar charter ketches at S.Y.S , one was under A .B..S ,Craftsman's Art, the other was Rocco

  5. SukiSolo
    Joined: Dec 2012
    Posts: 1,270
    Likes: 25, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 271
    Location: Hampshire UK

    SukiSolo Senior Member

    Bruynzeel was a Dutch company which specialised in architectural and marine plywoods of different timbers. It was bought by a French company which has kept the brand name.

    There were some problems in the mid 90s' with some QA and a number of boats had to be rebuilt/redecked. Fortunately I seem to have missed the bad batch!. I've not seen ant Meranti Bruynzeel ,and it (Bruynzeel) is hard to find in the UK as the current importer is a massive company which does not even seem to realise they import it....
    The stuff Robbins import (to UK) is of Italian manufacture, and even that is not always what it seems, but they do act if the ply is not right. I've had 6mm 5 ply which was 4 ply... A pain when you've driven 120 miles to collect it....;)

    Generally though, most stuff I've used of all okume/gaboon (to BS1088) has been of excellent quality and reasonable weight. Mostly a good drying and sanding will sort any sheet that has lightly discoloured.
Similar Threads
  1. Travis Grauel
  2. kjohnson
  3. GMI
  4. sab
  5. Corley
  6. science abuse
  7. ricketyantiques
  8. freeboatrsrce
  9. The copper guy
  10. wudenbote