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| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Jan 08 2010 : 23:25:28
Just bought this 42' 1969 Pacemaker wood Motor yacht. any tips from the old "wood boaters" out there (OTHER THEN DUMP IT)? Here are some pictures I took and I am going to be posting as many as I can from here on out to keep everyone posted on the progress of the project, She needs paint and pretty work mostly the twin 320's were recently rebuilt and only have about 3 or 4 hours on them , most of the paint is done with the exception of the flying bridge, bottom and some varnish around the helm some carpet, and some water staining going on around A couple of windows someone left open A bit.
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| 50 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Mar 22 2012 : 17:24:25
Thanks,
Hope it does, but we all know very well it never goes exactly as planned. Close sometimes but never exactly. lol.. |
| jlee815 |
Posted - Mar 20 2012 : 20:34:45
Best wishes for speedy work that goes exactly as you planned it. |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Mar 18 2012 : 19:52:33
Well here is an update Y'all. My 2012 season has officially started,
I decided to just wait to go back up to the marina until I calmed down enough to see the marina owner and not want to make him swim with the fishes which ended up being November. I went up to winterize, and clean her up. THEN I get A letter in the mail and BAZINGA! THE IDIOT LOST THE MARINA!! the bank foreclosed on him and resold it to 3 guys that are actually trying to help me, they gave me winter for fee and are helping me out any way they can. I went up again 2 weekends ago, got A solid material list and were off and running already. This spring will consist of A new transom 21 new ribs and 10 hull planks and beefing up the lift points just to make the new marina owners A bit more comfortable. |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Jul 19 2011 : 11:35:13
I have A few ideas,
I am currently looking for A boat moving service or crane service that uses A sling set up that can pick and set from where she is to the launch which is only about 200 feet. If they set up in the center of the pick they just have to lift swing and set in one shot. I think that would be cheaper and put less stress on her hull. |
| pdecat |
Posted - Jul 16 2011 : 07:31:18
house movers deal with low lines all the time. Ask the power company how much to move them temporarily. |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Jul 15 2011 : 17:58:40
We tried that route last year it is A strait shot to the other marina except the first road out of my marina there is A block of low hanging power lines. other then that its wide open, so were screwed there.
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| pdecat |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 07:47:50
rot behind tanks was a common problem. I guess it never gets enough air flow to dry. Good luck. Is there anyway that the marina with slings could move the boat there over land? |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Jul 14 2011 : 06:09:37
Dave,
Yes she is carvel, and your right you must be very careful with the cotton. I only use it in 2 or 3 seams on the whole bottom only slightly tapped in as A backer for the compound, not counting the seams in the planks I just re-planked. Last year when I finally did get her in, like you mentioned within A week she was bone dry in the bilge, I only needed 2 extra pumps for the first night and she slammed right shut, the pumps slowed down to about 4 gallons A week throughout the rest of the summer she's A good old girl and we love her.I was talking to Doug Bennett who owns Lake Breeze Marina where I want to take and winter her said when he took care of her for the previous owner she was only ever in the travel lift over night she always closed right up and never gave him A problem. |
| Thudpucker |
Posted - Jul 12 2011 : 20:51:59
A lot of wood boat years behind me too. I get emotionally tired just looking at a job like that! |
| stmbtwle |
Posted - Jul 12 2011 : 15:36:30
OUCH! I feel for ya! Just be thankful the failure happened on the trailer and not on a cruise with the family. |
| Dave H |
Posted - Jul 12 2011 : 12:55:47
Jimmy
We had a 1965 Wooden pacemaker, 32 ft Sport fisherman for 17 years. Lots of work but great boat. I have lot to tell you but don't have the time now. I've refastened, rebuilt etc. When we sold her to go larger; if she was in the slip for 1-1/2 weeks the inside bottom would dry out. No leaking except when worked in a sea. She was out of the water 5 years before we bought her. She was carvel planked. This means on caulking, just a compound which can squeeze out od the seams as she swells. If you caulk a boat dried out for a long time you have to be careful or the swelling will jack the planks off the frames. Carvel planked hulls are not meant to be caulked. I don't know if yours is carvel planked but be careful to find out. If you want to talk sometime e-mail me and I'll send a phone number. Two days in the slings and the 4 days with extra pumps when launched after 5 years. After the initial work she was always wet stored for the wintere. In 17 years she was out of the water about 25 weeks total. 1-2 weeks in spring that was all.
Good luck. By the way I'm old and used to be a wooden boater; is that what you meant??
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| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Jul 12 2011 : 12:28:58
Well Y'all,
Here we are again, the plan was to put her in this year and enjoy her one more year then take her to Point Breeze Marina 9 miles down the shore line where they have A travel lift, haul her out and keep her out next summer for bottom work to be done in decent weather. Please keep that in mind as I go on with the series of events for this summer's re-set. We got to the marina on Friday July 1st at around noon and I met with Jim the marina owner and paid in full for the year, we discussed when we were going to set and decided on Mon the 4th, last in for the summer. We commenced partying till that time and had an awesome weekend of A bit of last minute ready work, fireworks, food, drink, hanging out on the docks with friends ETC till Monday morning when I heard the truck fire up and head my way. He backed under her as I pulled stands and backed him up. THIS TIME I WAS GOING TO BE SETTING THE PADS WHERE I WANTED THEM. I told him he can drive but I was setting the trailer up how I wanted it. We got set and brought the trailer up to make contact with the pads, it was A perfect set I hit the lift points dead on, with that I went to the building to get the cords for my pumps plugged in and stretched out to meet the cords I had coiled and ready on the boat so all I had to do is throw the coil to shore to be plugged in. As I was walking back to the boat to lift I saw she was sitting crooked on the trailer slightly to stbd and slightly listing to port. I felt myself start to get sick and walking slightly faster and asked WHY SHE WAS SITTING LIKE THAT !? I got my answer as I walked down the port side to the aft corner,,,, She shifted on the trailer and all the weight of her was resting on the jack stand and the stand blasted through the aft port corner of the hull. It opened up A hole I could stick my head up into, so I did, and what I saw was disturbing, ROT, ROT AND MORE ROT. every rib was either rotted or broken right behind the port side fuel tank where I could not see till she broke. We decided right away to put her up behind the building where I have full power and water, and switched the plan to out for the year. I decided to keep her out and do an extensive bottom over haul this year rather then next, no more patch work just rip it out and redo it right I now have all summer to take my time and do the entire bottom. I will be taking out all the sistering and cutting out all the ribs that are or are looking like they are starting to rot or are broke. No more steaming it will all be bent lamination. New transom, planks where I need them the works. I also have A few soft spots in the decks I want to address, cabin sides and window issues. I MEAN EVERYTHING that needs to be done. OH AND I AM ALREADY ON THE PHONE LOOKING FOR A CRANE SERVICE THAT SETS BOATS WITH STRAPS. No more trailer. The FUNNY part is she broke the trailer, as if to say you broke me enough now it's my turn to break you, the 2 front pad worm bolt adjusters flattened right out she sat right down on that trailer as if to say NO MORE your done, you fix something now.
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| Bill N |
Posted - Jun 15 2011 : 08:13:23
I looked at the thread on the mallet again. It was in the misc. boat section not the section i mentioned. |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Jun 15 2011 : 04:50:48
I will have to look for that, Using A regular hammer is not only incorrect but that little 16 oz trim hammer gets heavy as heck when your working overhead for hours on end constantly tapping without stopping. Thanks for the info I'm on there all the time but I must have missed it. |
| Bill N |
Posted - Jun 14 2011 : 10:17:05
There is an interesting thread in the wooden boat forum about building your own mallet. A guy did it himself and it turned out really well.It is in the build/repair section. It was interesting as it is a well engineered tool not just a odd shaped hammer. |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Jun 12 2011 : 20:52:28
Thanks for all the positive encouragement guys I appreciate it, it keeps me movin on. Bruce and Marge bought her on June 26th 2000 and sold her in 2006 to the butchers that let her go. They had her for 4 years and sold her to someone else I do not know their names and the unknown owners tried to halfheartedly did minimal patch rigging to get by. As for the mallet and the irons, I have been ordering them for two years now but they are mysteriously on back order every time I place the order. I know my technique is A bit strange but it is fine I did A bunch of seams last year the same way and they were fine she didn't need much just enough to back up the compound she just needed A touch. I will get them in the long run, I always get what I am looking for so I am confident I will have them soon. We are just going to enjoy her this summer and leave her out next summer. I need to do to get her back to where she was years ago, I will be pulling planks everywhere to expose all the ribs at the turn of the bilge and the tails. I will be replacing the transom and anything rotten or broken from stem to stern top to bottom then putting her all back together stripping her back down to bare wood cotton oakum seam compound bottom paint hull paint, I found A few soft spots in the decks that will be addressed, new cabin sides, windows the works. I just cant do what I need to in the winter I need warm weather to do her up right and there is no building big enough to do it in over winter. |
| pdecat |
Posted - Jun 11 2011 : 02:50:09
I never understood the caulking mallet. That has to be the most unwieldy hammer in the world.
With all the modern sealants why aren’t they used instead of cotton and putty? |
| L. Keith |
Posted - Jun 10 2011 : 20:11:34
Jimmy invest in a few real cauking irons and a real caulking mallet. You need to hear the ring when when the cotton is driven home. I hope you looped and tucked that cotton as you drove it in. You can ruin a wood boat real fast with improper caulking tools and technique. |
| froggy3k |
Posted - Jun 09 2011 : 20:10:51
Jimmy, you are a true craftsman! You should be very proud! |
| Crownline 242 |
Posted - Jun 09 2011 : 18:06:16
How lonng ago was that? |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Jun 09 2011 : 13:55:01
Well the story continues, I came home to A photo album that was made for me by special friends I made while on this journey by the names of Bruce and Marge Franklin. They were previous owners of the previous owners of my boat. Her name was "OUR MARGARITAVILLE" then and she was absolutely beautiful then so I thought I would share the photos of their hard work and dedication. These pictures give me more incentive to bring her back to where she should be. Thank you Bruce and Marge from the bottom of our hearts. Here they are for your enjoyment.
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| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Jun 09 2011 : 13:35:31
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| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Jun 09 2011 : 13:34:29
Well Y'all We got back from the boat on Monday night but I didn't have the time to post the pictures of this weekend until now but here they are for you. We got A lot accomplished with just the two of us, we got going to the point that I almost forgot to take pictures so I only got A few. We got there on Friday night at around 1:45 AM and went to bed so we got nothing done on the first day. We got up early on Saturday to cloudy skies and A slightly cool breeze and got to work fast as to get as much done as we could so, I got right on the cotton. I pounded cotton for about 2 hours in the long seams and oakum in the buts in A light to moderate rain ( which didn't really bother me being I was under the boat where it was still dry). But just as I started on the oakum in the 4 seams that I felt needed it here came the down pour with the lightning and I packed up and bailed inside. Once I was inside we got to stretching in the soaker hose along the stbd side and ty-rapped it up nice, about 6 inches above the waterline. By the time we got that done the storm moved on and I was able to finish the oakum. Then I topped that off , and left it to set over night, Sunday I got up early and painted the new planks and caulk job I did and the plugs on port, then moved back to the transom where I had to seal up and re attach my swim platform that was ripped off in A storm last year when my spring line stretched and it got hung up under the dock, and WELL wouldn't you know we found yet another rig job from the previous owner, "THANKS TODD YOU IDIOT", someone could have been hurt walking on this thing,,,,,,,IT WAS ONLY ATTACHED WITH ONE GALVANIZED 1/4" X 3" LAG BOLT ON EITHER END AT THE TOP AND THE REST OF THE FASTENERS WERE,,,,, ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?,,,,, RUSTED OUT 3" DRYWALL SCREWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It took longer then we thought to drill all new thru bolts, but we got it done and now they are "actually through the studs this time", and it is more sturdy then ever so then we moved back in and finished the soaker hose on the port side. It was getting late so we fired up the water went to bed and left it run all night with the drain plug still out. Got up this morning to A mostly sealed up hull, cleaned the boat from stem to stern shut the water off and that was the end of the weekend. Here are the pictures I hope you enjoy them.
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| Jimmy.S |
Posted - May 08 2011 : 19:45:12
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| Jimmy.S |
Posted - May 08 2011 : 19:43:33
WHAT A WEEKEND !!
We got her all planked up on Saturday ! Just gotta knock off the plugs, pound in the cotton lay in seam compound & paint her up ! WOO HOO !!
Then we left the marina at 6 this morning to the other marina to get more of the "68" parts boat, left there at noon and got home at 4:30 this afternoon, A great weekend I think. Here are some more pictures for you. Enjoy.
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| Jimmy.S |
Posted - May 04 2011 : 08:22:42
Getting A little closer now, got the final 4 ribs bent in and the remaining broken hull planks cut out, there were 6 total all on stbd side. I ended up lucking out and got another Pacemaker for parts and planks and so the planks went right in. Here are some updated pictures. Hey look I finally got in A picture, it's the back of my head but it doesn't happen often, usually I'm taking the pictures.
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| L. Keith |
Posted - Apr 08 2011 : 10:06:05
Haul every year and you see and address problems before they become massive or affect the structural integrity of the hull. Hauling every two years gives a minor problem the time to become a Major problem. When we haul for a "Shave and a Haircut" we can be in and out of the yard in four/five days. We clean, pressure wash the bottom, scrape and spot sand (if needed), tighten butts or seams (if needed), drop the grid coolers and clean, scrape around them, install new anodes on the grid coolers and install, light sand the hull sides, prime and top coat (brush applied). Remove prop, clean, polish, blue fit and secure with new cotter pin, sand sweep rudder and shoe, coat with Interlux 2000 then top coat with antifoul, prime any bare spots on bottom and top coat with anti foul, with two coats from water line down about 3', weld on two strap anodes to rudder and one to shoe, drink a few beers and launch. |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Apr 08 2011 : 08:42:56
I agree with you about paint is on a wood boat for Protection first and cosmetics second. Going 2 years between haul outs is a year too long was A fact years ago but with the technology going into these new bottom paints that fact doesn't really apply today. The new multi year finishes are great. |
| L. Keith |
Posted - Apr 06 2011 : 15:55:54
You want to ruin a wood boat, just haul and paint the bottom once every 5 years. Going 2 years between haul outs is a year too long. Paint is on a wood boat for Protection first and cosmetics second. |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Apr 06 2011 : 15:12:05
Thanks, if your gonna do it, do it right the first time. That way you won't have to waste time fixing it again later,,or out on the water. EH. |
| 32carv |
Posted - Apr 05 2011 : 22:59:14
I admire your courage with this project. Good luck! I have a house that is a bunch of projects tied together with walls. I go to the boat to get away from work but I can understand your passion to make it right.
Jim |
| brokenrule2 |
Posted - Apr 05 2011 : 22:56:09
I had mine out last April in 2010 and then the June in 2009 and what I learned was to haul out in Oct or Nov when it was cooler. Some guys even find a nice window in Feb to haul. The yards like to get them back in the water in a week or less come April and June so I am learning as I go.
The boat I passed on two years ago changed hands last month, went in for a survey, got the bottom done and is still on the hard. The new owner cannot be contacted and it might go up for lien sale. Nice 1960 36' Connie but not sure their are many takers as she has been let go for about seven years.
Shame to see these boats go. Every month I come across one going to waste. But in our area it costs $350 or more a month to keep a 36-38' in a covered berth. Once you add the insurance - your talking a bit of money just to keep one floating. With gas going over $5 a gallon - that's about all most people can do it keep them floating.
It's about $160 a month to keep her on the hard but then what after a year of going between 30 - 100+ degs...
There was a nice 40' +/- Egg Harbor that the guy dropped the price to under $30K and when I saw it, it was pending. No way I could part with mine to move up but it was nice to dream and scheme.
Glad to see you keep yours going. I don't feel alone in the effort to keep mine going. Most people stop and look. They say two things, wow she is beautiful, it must be a lot of work.
Nope, not a lot of work. Work is getting through this crazy adventure called life. Messing around on the boat is what restores the energy to get up and go to work!
As my wife and co-workers see it, I work to support my 50 year old mistress. Sure better than pills!
Hang in there - we are not crazy!
Mike |
| LBDboater |
Posted - Apr 05 2011 : 20:57:34
We have a 40' woody ('66 Chris-Craft) ... I keep her in the water year long (mid-Atlantic, no freezing concerns, fresh water). She comes out once every 5-6 years, depending on how bottom paint is holding up. When she comes out, unless major bottom work is occurring (changing planks, etc.), she is only out for 3 weeks max, so as to prevent the side planks from shrinking as much. Had her for quite a while, never a problem. Getting ready to haul her in 2 weekends, which will be the 1st haul out in 7 years. Definitely due for a bottom job, and have some other out of water maintenance to complete before she is re-splashed. Still only looking at 3 weeks out of water.... |
| froggy3k |
Posted - Apr 05 2011 : 20:24:26
Jimmy, I applaude you! You really put a lot of thought and effort into this. As someone who redid a woody, I can say, it will make you a better person all around!
C |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Apr 05 2011 : 18:11:55
We freeze solid here, I could run bubblers under her or even A circulator, but you have to baby sit them in case power goes out or any other major problem happens and I Am 5 hours from the marina so for me leaving her in is not an option. Friends of mine have been live aboards for 17 years they are just an hour south east of my marina and they run bubblers but they can watch them constantly. They only haul out every few years for bottom paint an hull plank & bottom inspection then she goes right back in. I just love my ol' woody, I just can't sit around for too long or I'll go nuts, she keeps me going. |
| brokenrule2 |
Posted - Apr 03 2011 : 23:35:33
Do you have to haul them every year due to your location? No way to keep a wooden boat in the water?
Mike |
| Billylll |
Posted - Apr 03 2011 : 22:03:04
There is an older gentleman here at our Marina he restores and collects wood boats he had a 1940 something cabin cruiser about 30 feet long and a very old wooden Motorsailer that looks to be about a 25 footer. I'll have to post some pictures here he has them in original condition they even have oil lamps and the interior is furnished for the time period that the boats were built from. The only problem I see with wood boats that have to be hauled every season is it seems like they require constant attention. The guy spends more time working on them than he does even sitting on the water. I spend enough time and money working on my fiberglass boat so I understand the obcession.
Bill |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Apr 03 2011 : 20:14:38
Got back from the boat and yet another very productive weekend about an hour ago. We got all the rib sistering done just have to get the new hull planking done and we will plug everything at once. We did however find 3 more broken ribs stbd mid ship it looks like they were broke for A while, those I will do laminated bends. We also found 5 more broken hull planks. Here are the pictures.
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| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Mar 30 2011 : 15:04:21
Thanks for the compliment on the steam box, What you see on the outside are my new sister ribs for the port side. I will be replacing the broken ribs on stbd from the keel up 7 feet then ship lapping into the existing up high then sistering the ship lap because they are too far gone, they are air dried white oak. The new planking will be coming from another Pacemaker A year older but otherwise the same boat, it is Honduras mahogany, I plan to go 8' or better there, Fasteners are SB. Unfortunately I have to go back in on the trailer because we cant get A big enough crane into the marina without dropping the power lines to about 20 homes. We figured that one out last year when we wanted to either take her to the marina next door to put her in with their sling or bring their sling to our marina to put her in but either way we didnt have the clearance. |
| L. Keith |
Posted - Mar 29 2011 : 19:54:09
Nice steam box. What's up with the battens on the exterior? I hope you plan to span more than two frames with the new planking, you should span at minimum of three frames and go at least one bay past any frame you renew and/or sister. What type of material are you using for the planking (mahogany), for frames (live oak) and for butt blocks? Fastners? Do not use that lift to launch, those guys are butchers and they may overload the hull again and cause more damage. Consider hiring a truck crane with spreader bars and a proper cradle to lift and launch. Good Luck. If God wanted man to have GRP boats, he would have made GRP trees. Wood, nature's composite material. |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Mar 29 2011 : 16:42:20
WHAT A CRIME ! |
| brokenrule2 |
Posted - Mar 28 2011 : 23:15:08
Good to see you are not giving up. They have been cutting up wood boats around here like there is a contest! The ones still floating, but not running are given away.
Mike |
| pdecat |
Posted - Mar 28 2011 : 16:00:10
good to see that the art of wood boats isnt totally gone. |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Mar 28 2011 : 15:53:06
Sorry guys, I just had to add the swan picture it was the most pleasant thing I saw all weekend. I am trying to start this year off on A positive note, well that and I didn't want to shock anyone with the first picture of the year. |
| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Mar 28 2011 : 15:41:57
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| Jimmy.S |
Posted - Mar 28 2011 : 15:40:21
WELL Y'ALL 2011 HAS BEGUN !!!
The boys and I have been up to the boat now every weekend in March so far except this one, it was our 10th anniversary and thought it would be wise not to go. We will hit it hard from here on out. Here's what we got so far, port side, cosmetic damage aft and amid ship, 4 broken ribs forward. Stbd, 5 broken ribs, broken hull planking forward, bashed up transom. There is some other stuff too but minor. Here are the first pictures of the year to go with "the rest of the story"
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| oneillch |
Posted - Jan 18 2011 : 12:08:21
OMG!- Yzer, your picture of the 26' Chris just blew me away. It's the same boat we had back in the 60's. At the time we were moored in Pt Jefferson and then later in Montauk, LI and the boat's name was "Nauti-Four."
Lady C |
| Gregory S |
Posted - Jan 17 2011 : 17:37:36
Clamps? Do you mean the clamps on the shaft log? It's the packing nut that you would adjust. You shouldn't have to do anything with the clamps on the shaft log. |
| brokenrule2 |
Posted - Jan 17 2011 : 10:33:33
yeap, cannot budge them and did not want to take a chance damaging the hose. The leak cause the clamps to rust. The last repack was five years ago so I thought is was about time. |
| Gregory S |
Posted - Jan 16 2011 : 17:17:05
Did you try to tighten the packing gland before you decided it was time to re-pack? |
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