Eek! Cheapo Underskinning...

[bruuuuce]

I underskinned my last pontoon with sign material. I went to a local sign shop and ordered 4'X10' sheets of aluminum it cut easy with hand held sheers and held up well. I was told the pressure of the water would wrinkle it, I put screws every 6" and the underskinning looked as good after a season of use as the day I put it in. And the sign material was a whole lot cheaper than the quotes I was getting from the metal shops for thicker stuff.

[guy48065]

Lets not be so subjective...Im sure someone knows the real thickness if the stuff sold for underskinning?

[Ron Burgundy]

Lets not be so subjective...Im sure someone knows the real thickness if the stuff sold for underskinning?

It's sorta thick a little bit, but not really.

[guy48065]

It's all good then. Buy whatever's cheapest.

[BobG]

What I used:

Amerimax Home Products 68124 Aluminum Roll Valley Standard Flashing

Ordered it from Amazon.com

50' X 24" roll. .014 thickness

Price: $78.78

[smoker62]

I used .063. Seems to match the thickness of what Southbay puts on at the factory. It was just under 300 for materials.

[DinoSteel]

BobG I would also like to see some photo's when you get them.

Since there is no water in the lakes in my immediate location (down over 80+ feet) it would be a great time to tackle projects.

I look forward to seeing the pictures when you get them.

Thanks Bud!

[guy48065]

Has anyone tried .090" FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) panels? Can't be bent into a 90 but most DIY underskin projects I've seen all use flat sheets & strips anyways. Thinking thicker, cheaper, quieter...

[jepperson]

I used polyethylene pile wrap, with stainless fender washers.....has held up great for 2 summers now. only 1 screw came lose, in the back, fixing that today.

[jimrs]

Hard Water, Soft Water, Hell I guess you never heard of Culligan water softner. Ask your wife the difference or move to the country and live with well water.

[evinrude2stroke]

I underskinned my last pontoon with sign material. I went to a local sign shop and ordered 4'X10' sheets of aluminum it cut easy with hand held sheers and held up well. I was told the pressure of the water would wrinkle it, I put screws every 6" and the underskinning looked as good after a season of use as the day I put it in. And the sign material was a whole lot cheaper than the quotes I was getting from the metal shops for thicker stuff.

What kind of screws did you use?..... Self tappers? I may add this to my list of fall projects once the boat is out of the water.

[jepperson]

yep, self taping....ended up predrilling anyway though....was just easier.

[evinrude2stroke]

yep, self taping....ended up predrilling anyway though....was just easier.

Thanks for the rely. One more question...Did you under skin every exposed area? Or did you leave a space on each side my the pontoons for breathing? I'm concerned about the wood getting wet from up top and not drying adequately underneath resulting in premature rot...