To cover a hull or deck, usually a wooden one,
with an impervious layer. The technique which appeals to many DIY-ers is to
sheathe the boat with glass cloth (or chopped strand mat) and polyester resin.
Unfortunately, polyester does not always bond very well to the timber – epoxy
resin would better, but it is harder to work with and more expensive. There are
proprietary types of sheathing, some based on rubbery compounds, others using
reinforced plastics. All require that the wood beneath be sound, free from rot,
and free from paint, oil, or large gaps and cracks. Copper sheathing was
formerly much used to protect wooden hulls against Teredo in tropical waters.
Although copper sheet is very expensive, the initial capital cost is offset by
the saving of the annual anti-fouling paint which would otherwise be necessary,
so in the long term sheathing may prove cheaper as well as more convenient.