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Dock Rash

One part science, five parts experimentation. Every wood boat veteran has their secret recipe for a showy finish. Share your trials and triumphs.

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Jim Godlewski
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Dock Rash

Post by Jim Godlewski » Sun Jun 26, 2016 12:24 pm

It happened...
I was very pre occupied most of the day at the Algonac show and apparently I did not do a good job of tying up. This will be my first repair job since the restoration in 2010.
Looking for recommendation from the pro's on how to go about a fix for this. Dents are about 1-1.5mm deep
Thanks.
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20160626_105449.jpg
20160626_105516.jpg
20160626_105545.jpg
1956 17 Sportsman CC-17-2310
1930 Model 100 7152

boat_art
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by boat_art » Mon Jun 27, 2016 6:14 am

Is it into the wood itself? If not, then tape off the area, build up numerous coats of varnish, and fine sand to feather it. Remove the tape and blend by rubbing out.
Tom
http://www.boatartgallery.com
1956 CC Connie 47'
1959 Caulkins bartender
1965 Cheoy Lee Frisco Flyer
1953 Chris Craft Holiday
1941 Chris Craft Deluxe
Plus 8-12 customer boats at any time
God don't count the days spent messing around in wood boats.

Howard Lehman
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by Howard Lehman » Mon Jun 27, 2016 8:27 am

Ditto what Tom says on the scratches. But I believe you said there were dents and scratches into the surface of the wood also. If true, and the dent isn't a deep puncture but rather a more broad dent, you can try this: get a wet-ish towel which you place on the surface of the damaged area. Then take an iron (like in ironing clothes) with it turned on hot, and see if you can actually steam the dent out. I have done this with some success, but only do one dent first to see how it goes. I keep the towel flat and tight, and use just the tip of the flat and hot iron on just the one dent. You just "dab" the iron's tip for a few seconds, lift the towel quickly to see if you made progress, then repeat the process several times. If it works, then try another, if not, or you don't want to risk lifting the varnish, stop, tape off, sand, and build up the surface as Tom said.Of course if the scratches went into the stain, you'll have to add stain first after the sanding in each place where bare wood shows. Or you could put Famowood into each dent, tape off, lightly sand everything flush, stain, and add the varnish coats, and then feather the edges of the varnish patch. If you think you might like to try the iron technique, the old saying "practice makes perfect" fits here, so find a scrap piece of thicker mahogany (the scratches and dents are on the toe rail right?) and try to reproduce the damage on the scrap wood. Then try the towel and iron technique. If it works for you, good, if not, OK too and you won't have risked the surface of your varnished boat. Good luck and let us know what you do and how it turned out.

Tightline5
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by Tightline5 » Tue Jun 28, 2016 1:53 pm

The iron will work on raw wood, but lift the varnish on your deck.
Phil Jones

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1954 Racing Runabout R-496
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by jim g » Tue Jun 28, 2016 2:27 pm

If you have dents. Thick super glue works really well.

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Jim Godlewski
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by Jim Godlewski » Tue Jun 28, 2016 5:16 pm

boat_art wrote:Is it into the wood itself? If not, then tape off the area, build up numerous coats of varnish, and fine sand to feather it. Remove the tape and blend by rubbing out.
Tom
If it is into the wood it's very little.
1956 17 Sportsman CC-17-2310
1930 Model 100 7152

boat_art
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by boat_art » Tue Jun 28, 2016 7:50 pm

Try filling with varnish, if it is too deep then like Jim said...the gap filling super glue.
Phil is right about the iron, that technique can work on bare wood but not on varnish.
Tom
http://www.boatartgallery.com
1956 CC Connie 47'
1959 Caulkins bartender
1965 Cheoy Lee Frisco Flyer
1953 Chris Craft Holiday
1941 Chris Craft Deluxe
Plus 8-12 customer boats at any time
God don't count the days spent messing around in wood boats.

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Jim Godlewski
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by Jim Godlewski » Wed Jun 29, 2016 6:14 pm

boat_art wrote:Is it into the wood itself? If not, then tape off the area, build up numerous coats of varnish, and fine sand to feather it. Remove the tape and blend by rubbing out.
Tom
Once I build coat, what grit should I be using. Is this a wet or dry sand?
Thanks.
1956 17 Sportsman CC-17-2310
1930 Model 100 7152

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quitchabitchin
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by quitchabitchin » Wed Jun 29, 2016 6:15 pm

Those docks at Algonac are certainly better suited for taller, larger boats. I got a little dock rash myself this weekend.. :(
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boat_art
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by boat_art » Wed Jun 29, 2016 7:14 pm

Jim Godlewski wrote:
boat_art wrote:Is it into the wood itself? If not, then tape off the area, build up numerous coats of varnish, and fine sand to feather it. Remove the tape and blend by rubbing out.
Tom
Once I build coat, what grit should I be using. Is this a wet or dry sand?
Thanks.
Use 320 dry sanding. Dont go any finer than 320 or your varnish will not have enough tooth to hold well.
Tom
http://www.boatartgallery.com
1956 CC Connie 47'
1959 Caulkins bartender
1965 Cheoy Lee Frisco Flyer
1953 Chris Craft Holiday
1941 Chris Craft Deluxe
Plus 8-12 customer boats at any time
God don't count the days spent messing around in wood boats.

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Doug P
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by Doug P » Thu Jun 30, 2016 12:24 am

I would go with Howard, hot iron on damp towel will pull out most gouges without delaminating varnish coats...I didn't see chocks

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Jim Godlewski
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by Jim Godlewski » Thu Jun 30, 2016 4:15 pm

quitchabitchin wrote:Those docks at Algonac are certainly better suited for taller, larger boats. I got a little dock rash myself this weekend.. :(
I hope it wasn't worse than mine...
I miss the Saint Clair venue.
1956 17 Sportsman CC-17-2310
1930 Model 100 7152

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CaptainSeth
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by CaptainSeth » Mon Aug 29, 2016 4:10 pm

So, do we think the wet towel/iron trick would work on this?
repair.JPG
Any need to stain or just try to build it back up with varnish (or super glue if it's still too deep)?

My 7 year old dropped the anchor at just the wrong time. Hopefully a quick repair and I'll be back to remembering the weekend like this: :)
Summer.JPG
Captain Seth
Portland Boat Tours
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1939 17ft Chris Craft Deluxe Utility
1948 17.5ft Century Resorter
1966 20ft Tollycraft Cruiseteer

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Jim Godlewski
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by Jim Godlewski » Mon Aug 29, 2016 8:24 pm

I don't know since I do not yet have any iron experience but the second photo sure makes up for the first one.
1956 17 Sportsman CC-17-2310
1930 Model 100 7152

joanroy
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by joanroy » Tue Aug 30, 2016 6:43 am

Don't worry about that little ding. Fair it with a little sanding, touch up with stain and varnish it. Twenty years from now when your 7 year old is 27 that ding will bring back great memories for you and your son. Happy Boating!

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Captain Nemo
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by Captain Nemo » Tue Aug 30, 2016 3:50 pm

I agree w/ Joanroy. Just fixitup. A boat w/ some dings and scratches garners more respect. It shows that it has been used and loved.
Boats are to be made of wood, otherwise, God would have grown fiberglass trees.

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robertpaul
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by robertpaul » Tue Aug 30, 2016 8:21 pm

Those two little marks are from my daughter's brand new bottom teeth circa 1992. I took the picture this year! The cockpit will be refinished when I get to that stage with Elude, but I will work around these for sure. She is currently doing a PhD at Columbia in NYC, which proves that varnish and mahogany are brain food.
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IMG_1340.JPG
Our first daughter had just gotten her bottom teeth when we noticed her up close to the side of the cockpit just nibbling away. That was twenty four years ago. I took this picture this year! Never had the heart to 'fix it'. I am holding some material behind the boat to avoid backlight.
1937 35' Double Stateroom Enclosed Cruiser

boat_art
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Re: Dock Rash

Post by boat_art » Wed Aug 31, 2016 5:06 am

robertpaul wrote:Those two little marks are from my daughter's brand new bottom teeth circa 1992. I took the picture this year! The cockpit will be refinished when I get to that stage with Elude, but I will work around these for sure. She is currently doing a PhD at Columbia in NYC, which proves that varnish and mahogany are brain food.
This has to be, by far, the posting of the year!
Tom
http://www.boatartgallery.com
1956 CC Connie 47'
1959 Caulkins bartender
1965 Cheoy Lee Frisco Flyer
1953 Chris Craft Holiday
1941 Chris Craft Deluxe
Plus 8-12 customer boats at any time
God don't count the days spent messing around in wood boats.

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