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Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Framing, planking and fairing. Repair, or reconstruction. If it's hull related, you'll find it here.

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evansjw44
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Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by evansjw44 » Tue May 24, 2016 8:06 pm

Well I call on the shipwrights and sea skiff restorers for some comments. I had a survey on my 1967 35ft Corinthian Sea Skiff cruiser last week and he found a delaminating strake in the bottom., midships near the turn of the chine. Its really close to launch time here and I don't want to try to fix it the right way as it might take all summer. So my plan it to cover the delaminating strake with new 1/2 inch marine plywood to span the demainated area to the next rib on each end and generously fasten with screws. I plan to seal the old strake after baring to find the fasteners and the underside of the new wood with 1026. Then, champher the edges of the patch and finish with bottom paint. I'll tackle the right repair in the fall.

Comments?
Jim Evans

joanroy
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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by joanroy » Tue May 24, 2016 8:28 pm

How long is the delaminated area and how badly is it separated ? How did the fasteners and the rest of the planking fair in the survey? Could you post a photo?

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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by evansjw44 » Wed May 25, 2016 8:14 am

The delaminated area is about 4 inches in diameter, It doesn't reach the edge of the strake. We found it by "sounding" the bottom with a leather mallet. The surveyor didn't pull any fasteners. This boat has never seen salt water and because of that the underwriter doesn't require pulling fasteners. I have pulled a few over the years and they are just fine. I don't know that a picture will offer much insight.
Jim Evans

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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by boat_art » Wed May 25, 2016 12:46 pm

If thats all it is, it sounds like a good plan.
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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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by joanroy » Wed May 25, 2016 3:21 pm

From your description, it sounds like the delaminated area is just a bubble in the middle of a plank. Doesn't seem that bad, and I agree with Tom. Sounds like you have a good plan.

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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by joanroy » Thu May 26, 2016 5:13 am

Jim, another possible repair technique would be to drill several small holes, about 1/8 inch, just through the top delaminated ply. Use an epoxy syringe filled with West System and inject it into the holes. Cover the area with wax paper and a flat block and then wedge a prop up against the block tight to push the lamination back together and hold until the epoxy sets up.

I don't know how CC made their plywood, but the laminations must have been glued together. The epoxy would be as strong or stronger than whatever was originally used. What lengths did CC make the plywood strake planks? I've never worked on a straked hull, but I would think removing a single plank would be quite difficult.

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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by boat_art » Thu May 26, 2016 6:13 am

That would probably work Joanroy but if it delaminated there I suspect more of the area is ready to go. If that plan is used the I suggest you inject as much CPES as possible into the area. I think the original plan would be safer.
I have done many of these planks and they arent that bad but they require some careful Sawzall work while working from below. Dannengerg has some good advice in his book.
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.

joanroy
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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by joanroy » Thu May 26, 2016 6:51 am

I agree Tom. When it comes to bottoms it's better to be safe than sorry. I've always shyed away from older plywood built boats knowing that the laminations are only as good as the glue that holds them together. Although, I've seen some quite old examples that are still very solid and in fine shape. Good marine plywood is much stronger than a solid wood plank and I suppose the fasteners help to keep all the layers tight together. Lapstrakes are great looking boats.

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robertpaul
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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by robertpaul » Thu May 26, 2016 11:47 am

I am curious as to whether or not the spot that is delaminating is visible from the inside. Cruisers have a lot of interior structure and finishing that gets in the way of a really good look at probable causes. I only raise this because Elude had a hot spot through both the inner and outer planking at the bow back in about 1992. I was having her surveyed and I removed floorboards and the forward bunks. Knowing there was an issue, the surveyor dug around under the forward water tank with a flashlight and a mirror and finally pulled out a dried wad of paper. It turned out to be an early 1940's Superman comic (he was beating up on the Nazis) that was dropped in there around that time (so I figure). Of course it was mostly gone but enough was left to identify it. My point is that the comic book sat against the inner plank, holding moisture for extended periods of time, which is the formula for rot. The rot was localized to the exact spot where the comic book was, not an inch more all around. If you haven't (probably have) already, try to sneak a peek from the inside even if you have to use flashlights and mirrors. If this advice is moot.... no worries.
1937 35' Double Stateroom Enclosed Cruiser

boat_art
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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by boat_art » Thu May 26, 2016 3:35 pm

Good point robertpaul! I have also found that in the cruisers, I can always find a bit of rot right under the galley sink drain! Every time!
How much you want for the comic book???
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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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by bflaherty » Thu May 26, 2016 3:37 pm

I agree with Robert, when I was designing boats for Aluminum Chambered Boats we had a customer come in with a fairly new boat that had a strange hole thru the hull plate! These were 5/6" aluminum hulls so not much would penetrate them. Turned out a mechanic had dropped a wrench and couldn't reach it! A little saltwater in the bilge and the electrolysis kicked in... When the boat arrived back in Bellingham, from Alaska, the hole was almost the exact shape and size of a 15/16" box wrench :shock:

With wood boats, especially cruisers, you want to be regularly checking that there isn't rubish getting in the bilge and holding the water against the wood... Fresh water is better for growing rot, saltwater tends to have a preserving effect at first, then rot will eventually begin to grow from the dried sodium crystals.

Although, I would question if such a small, isolated, spot might have been caused by impact damage over flexing the plywood? Possible a log or other flotsam in the water??
Brian Flaherty
1969 Chris-Craft Cavalier 17 Ski Boat "TUPPERWARE"

"You'll never discover great lands, with your feet planted in the sand"

boat_art
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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by boat_art » Thu May 26, 2016 6:36 pm

Brian....love the name of your ski boat!
Secondly...the wrench story is amazing...but I certainly understand how it happened!
Thanks!
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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robertpaul
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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by robertpaul » Thu May 26, 2016 8:02 pm

Tom.... one guess where this spot was. This was taken before I decided to remove the entire bottom.
Attachments
S1190004.JPG
Outer plank was rotted about half way through as well. Hidden from view under the galley sink drain!
1937 35' Double Stateroom Enclosed Cruiser

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evansjw44
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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by evansjw44 » Fri May 27, 2016 10:23 am

I agree with the comments on "look inside". I had an issue under the galley a few years ago from a pile of saw dust under the cabin sole with the galley cupboard on top of that. This spot is under the couch with cabin sole under that. I have added access hatches in the area many years ago and have periodically cleaned up there. I will use my fiber scope to get a better look. I remember an incident many years ago when a gale dropped a number of boats in the marina off their shoring. My boat had the blocks under the center shoring beam shatter leaving the beam on the ground on pone side. That incident was near where the problem is today. Maybe there was some undetected damage. When the yard replaced the broken block the raised the shoring beam too tight and I couldn't get the drawers under the couch open. The bottom settled back to shape once she was in the water.

Well, my trusted shipwright is going to overlay the strake with some new wood for the summer and we'll tear into this in the fall. Like most boats, when you find a small spot its just showing you where the big spot is. I'm ready.
Jim Evans

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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by boat_art » Fri May 27, 2016 4:19 pm

robertpaul wrote:Tom.... one guess where this spot was. This was taken before I decided to remove the entire bottom.
Gee...the galley? LOL
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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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by jfrprops » Fri May 27, 2016 9:28 pm

If "loose lips sink ships" it is for certain loose change will sink and alum. roamer.....!! A penny saved in that case is way more than a penny earned!

John in Va.
1980 Fairchild Scout 30
19?? custom Argentine Runabout 16'
1954 Whirlwind deluxe dual ckpt 16'
1921 Old Town Charles River 17' (founding Captain, James River Batteau Festival)

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evansjw44
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Re: Sea Skiff TEmp Bottom Fix

Post by evansjw44 » Tue May 31, 2016 8:42 am

This problem is under the couch, no the galley. I did the galley a few years ago. I want to poke my fiber scope in there to see if there is anything to see.
Jim Evans

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