I had some left over trim boards from a home improvement job. They are Azek Trim boards. Available in any lumberyard at prices more than wood. However, they are rotproof, vermin proof, and can be worked with regular woodworking tools. I replaced the engine in my boat and had to extend the engine box. Starboard is very expensive. Azek looks like Starboard, so I tried it. It worked and looks good. I took some of the scraps and glued them together with PVC cement, squared them off and turned them on the lathe. I made J plugs and a squid head. It requires no sealing and takes paint as good as wood. Keep in mind that Azek does not have much strength. I would not recommend using on plugs with small diameters.

Smells like toxic chemicals when you cut it - does that go away when you paint it? Does it float or sink?

The smell is sealed by the paint. However I did not notice a great amount of odor while I was turning. I do use a vacuum cleaner to suck up the dust. As for flotation, I put in lead weights to balance the plug. My guess is it would float on its own. Good luck. I find this Azek blank very good in certain applications.

What type of applications??

Azek made good "J" plugs. They don't require a lot of strength because of the way the hook is attached to the body. I find "J" plugs are effective in a rip trolled at moderate speed.