Victoria Shadow Association Members' Forum

Murray_Fraser

Member

From: Weymouth

Registered: 2016-11-22

Posts: 87

v800 headlining

I am trying to source melamine/formica sheet on my V800.  Water damage - see deck fittings Q&A - means replacing the headlining in two relatively small areas.  Has anyone done this and found a source for what I think -can anyone confirm -  is 3mm thick whote melamine faced sheet.  I live in Weymouth and the nearest supplier I can find is Builders Depot in London!

---

VICTORIA 800 Dulcibella

Simon_Dewing

Member

From: Torquay / Texas

Registered: 2022-08-04

Posts: 63

Re: v800 headlining

Murray,

I was unable to find melamine faced exterior (WPB) or plywood, could only find MDF or interior plywood so I bought sheets of white formica (not quite the same texture but close) and bonded it to 4mm exterior plywood with contact adhesive.
Plywood panels were cut to size and shape then the formica cut slightly oversize and edges sanded to fit after bonding. That way there are no chips at the edges.

Really not too difficult.

It comes out very slightly thicker than the original as the laminate on the original panels is thin but this is lost in the teak jointing strips

I did find afterwards that the laminate suppliers would bond it to whatever backing you want to specify, at a cost of course.
You would then have the issue of cutting it without chipping which always seems to be an issue with laminate however it is cut.
Masking tape helps but I have never managed to get it perfect.

.

Central panel in this picture is original sides and forward panel are new.

Rgds

Simon

Charles_Grossie

Committee Member

Registered: 2017-08-10

Posts: 163

Re: v800 headlining

Very nice job Simon.

Looks excellent. 

---

Victoria 34 Cutter - 'Anitra'

Murray_Fraser

Member

From: Weymouth

Registered: 2016-11-22

Posts: 87

Re: v800 headlining

Very smart Simon, top job.  I am going down the same route having found a local yard with both the formica and hardwood plywood.  Hopefully a master carpenter friend will trim neatly. The good news is that my panels are tucked under the side decks; the bad news is that being tucked under I need to become a contortionist.

---

VICTORIA 800 Dulcibella

Simon_Dewing

Member

From: Torquay / Texas

Registered: 2022-08-04

Posts: 63

Re: v800 headlining

Good luck with it, I ma sure you will do an equal if not better job.

b.t.w. I found least worst way to cut the laminate was with a jig saw along the centre of a strip of masking tape.

Special laminate blades are available for most jig saws and provided the cut is slow seem to do a reasonable job most of the time.

Other trick is to make sure the material is firmly clamped very near the cut as its quite flexible and when it flexes the blade jams and makes a chip or crack in the laminate.

Rgds

Simon

Duncan_Hill

Committee Member

From: Dun Laoghaire, Ireland

Registered: 2017-03-14

Posts: 153

Website

Re: v800 headlining

b.t.w. I found least worst way to cut the laminate was with a jig saw along the centre of a strip of masking tape.

Supposedly, a track saw set to do a scoring cut (and then a full cut) will do a good job as well. However, track saws don't do curves!

---

Victoria 34 Cutter - 'Blue Opal' (the non-bowsprit edition)