How to Fix Marine Plywood on a Bass Boat

Marine plywood, a specialty form of the wood product used in so many applications where solid wood would be too heavy and too expensive, sometimes is used aboard bass boats for hull framing and trim. When it's damaged, you may have little choice but to replace it. Sometimes, though, a repair is not only possible, but preferable. When the damage is cosmetic -- a crushed corner on a deck or a seat that has a crushed edge -- the right supplies and a bit of polish make a world of difference.

Things You'll Need

  • Palm sander
  • Sandpaper, 36-grit
  • Clean vacuum bag
  • Vacuum cleaner
  • Clean microwave-safe plastic container
  • Crayon
  • 3 tablespoons sanding dust
  • Microwave oven
  • Spoon
  • 1 tablespoon waterproof slow-drying glue
  • Plastic spreader
  • Razor knife
  • Sandpaper, 220-grit
  • Paint or varnish
  • Good-quality furniture polish
  • Automotive paste wax
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Instructions

    • 1

      Sand crushed edges of the marine plywood with a palm sander and 36-grit sandpaper. If larger bits of the surface material pull or break away from the center plies, pull them off individually and sand the edges of the break in the surface. Place a clean bag into a vacuum cleaner. Pick up the sanding dust with the vacuum cleaner and place the sanding dust in a clean microwave-safe plastic container.

    • 2

      Find a crayon that's approximately the color of the surface of the marine plywood. Place the unwrapped crayon in the container with 3 tablespoons of the sanding dust from the vacuum bag. Microwave the mix on medium power until the crayon melts. Remove the container from the microwave oven. Stir the mix with a spoon and add 1 teaspoon of waterproof slow-drying wood glue to the container.

    • 3

      Slather the crayon-sawdust mix onto the broken area of the marine plywood while the mix is hot, using a plastic spreader. If the repair is large, repeat steps 2 and 3 as often as required to hump the material up over the area. Allow the repair to cool completely.

    • 4

      Remove excess repair material from the surface using a razor knife. Sand the repair down using 220-grit sandpaper and a palm sander. If the area was painted or varnished before the damage occurred, repaint or re-varnish the area and polish it with a good-quality furniture polish. Wax the repaired, polished area with automotive paste wax.