BoatU.S. - August-September 2012

PRACTICAL BOATER
DO-IT-YOURSELF
PROJECTS TO IMPROVE YOUR BOAT BY TOM NEALE
USING CREATIVITY IN HEADLINER REPAIRS
Age and abuse can discolor or rip liners in your boat. But Tom’s a fan of figuring out
innovative repairs. Here’s a trick to cover up any eyesores

LINERS INSIDE the cabins of boats come in many materials, but they all have one thing in com- mon: Eventually they tear or become damaged. In older boats, even finding the same material may be impossible, and if you do, the job of replacing the entire liner or even a section may be very expensive. Patchwork may be the cheaper and easier way out, but it will probably look like patchwork — and nobody wants that. But if you incorporate another project into the lining repair, you can sometimes disguise the fact that it’s patchwork AND get an additional bonus.

For example, on our boat, we had a liner that had been ripped before we owned the boat. Our solution was to cover the problem area with what is essentially patchwork. But you’d never know it because the patchwork has been transformed into a mounting for a new fan.

I purchased a sheet of StarBoard (1/4” x 6” x 12”) from West Marine for around $13 (see “Tech Support,” page 85). This material comes in several thicknesses and colors, including white and black. It will take screws (like wood or better) and bear weight, depending on thickness and use. It’s high-density polyethylene designed to resist saltwater, chemicals, and sunlight. It won’t rot or delaminate, and is easily cut, routed, shaped, and drilled, using standard tools. It