Any Old " WOOD BOATERS" Left out there ?

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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.
 
good to see that the art of wood boats isnt totally gone.
 
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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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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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
 
Do you have to haul them every year due to your location? No way to keep a wooden boat in the water?
Mike
 
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.
 
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
 
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....
 
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
 
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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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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