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installing new sideplanks

Posted: Mon May 28, 2018 6:00 pm
by allanguhl
When I start installing side planks do I need to use 5200 on the edges of the planks when I install the new planks ?

Re: installing new sideplanks

Posted: Tue May 29, 2018 7:25 am
by maritimeclassics
We don't, you don't want any to be visible when you sand and then stain the hull. You can see the 5200 in the seams and the stain won't stick to it.

Re: installing new sideplanks

Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2018 11:56 am
by allanguhl
Right now I have my boat up side down on the trailer and just finishing the bottom,when I start putting on new side planks can I leave the boat the way it is ? or is it better to flip it right side up ?

Re: installing new sideplanks

Posted: Mon Jul 09, 2018 8:08 am
by maritimeclassics
We try to plank the sides when the boat is upside down. It is also much easier to fair the hull in the upside down position.

Re: installing new sideplanks

Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 3:40 pm
by allanguhl
When Installing new side planks do I need to use any kind of Adhesive/Sealant to secure the plank to the Battens or can I just screw the planks to the new Battens ?

Re: installing new sideplanks

Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2018 5:02 pm
by Captain Nemo
You should bed the side planks w/ something. I would use a old school bedding compound like Dolfinite, but that's just how I roll. Some may use boat life or Sikaflex or something along those lines.

Re: installing new sideplanks

Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2018 7:52 am
by maritimeclassics
We use 5200 to bed the side planks and new bronze fasteners. You only want to do this one time and you want to lessen the plank seams showing up through the varnish. Build it solid and strong.

Re: installing new sideplanks

Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2018 8:25 pm
by joanroy
I’m more of a traditional type Dolfinite fan. You can use 5200, but if you ever have to remove a plank for repair you’ll regret it. Best of luck with your restoration.

Re: installing new sideplanks

Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2018 6:19 pm
by JacobErdey
Alright, so I know I need to apply 5200 or a bedding compound to the vertical frames and horizontal battens to "bed" the side planks on, but what do I put between the actual seams of each plank? Obviously I will fit them as tight as possible to show no gap, but I feel like over time the seam will move or crack loose if there is nothing to laminate the joint? Or do you just count on the compound behind the planks and the 20 coats of varnish on the outside to hold it solid?

Re: installing new sideplanks

Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 6:02 am
by bjornbakken
I use epoxy thickened with West 405 (wood flour) in the seams. The color of the mix is brown like and it sands flat. 5200 (or you adhesive of choice) between batten and backside plank.

Re: installing new sideplanks

Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 8:12 am
by maritimeclassics
I have edge glued the side planks before with thickened epoxy and it works. At some point the boat is going to move and flex from use, change in moisture levels or the vibration of trailering. There is a chance that the plank will crack in the middle of the plank rather then on the seam. It happened to me on a transom plank where the boat expanded and had no where to go so it cracked in the middle of the plank from one side of the transom to the other. It was sickening and that was the last time I epoxied the edges.

Re: installing new sideplanks

Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 11:23 am
by joanroy
I agree. Wood absolutely has to move and will alway expand and contract no matter what. An epoxy joint is actually stronger than the wood itself so when it shrinks or swells it’ll find the weak spot in the grain and split or bow out in the center of the plank. Chris Craft did not glue edges together and alway fitted planking according to moisture content.

Re: installing new sideplanks

Posted: Fri Oct 19, 2018 1:28 pm
by JacobErdey
Alright I wont put anything between the seams; being in south Louisiana, I know the humidity will take a toll on this thing. "Wood absolutely has to move and will always expand and contract no matter what" and "fit planking according to moisture content" are nice ways to state a nightmare I've had for months leading up to this point. I actually had a dreaded encounter when fitting my inner bottom planking. Fit tight and fastened about the first half of it one dry Friday evening, then came back after a rainy humid weekend to find the bottom of the boat looking like a roller coaster. Fixed that, now have the whole bottom bedded in 5200 and sanded fair...no further issues with any buckling that I can see, but I've been concerned about what the side planks might do for a while now. This may be an unanswerable question, but does anyone have any advice on how I should fit my side planks to try and account for any possible wood movement??

Re: installing new sideplanks

Posted: Sat Oct 20, 2018 11:29 am
by robertpaul
I will share a small observation I have made working on Elude. Every plank, bottom or topside, has been either painted, or otherwise sealed by what appears to be a thin brush of varnish. The back of the transom planks (which are bright on the outside) were painted with bilge paint before assembly. Except for the transom planks the other topside planks were painted after the hull was assembled. Being a cruiser, the topside planks were painted on the outside. It may be that CC controlled for excessive moisture absorption by doing this as soon as the hull was built in the 'controlled' environment of the factory. Now cruisers don't have the topside planks fitting flush, nor varnished for all to see (except the transom and topside cabin), but they did use a very hard seam filler that would, I think, react badly to excessive movement in the wood. I have avoided leaving new replacement pieces unpainted or unsealed. So far I have not seen problems. The boat is in an environment where it is subject to fluctuations in humidity, but not to rain. My 2 cents.

Re: installing new sideplanks

Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2018 11:09 am
by JacobErdey
Alright, thanks for all the input. Another question I have now (as I have started the fitting process on the side planks), does anyone have any advice on any sort of seam filler or putty to use that will accept stain or blend in right? I think I've got the planks fit about as good as can be expected (zero to less than 10mil gap), and can't decide whether they should just be left at that and let the filler stain and varnish take care of the rest, or if I need to fill it with something else?

Re: installing new sideplanks

Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2018 7:23 am
by maritimeclassics
We go back and fill any imperfections covering all seams and bungs with Fomawood natural filler or Ace hardware brand natural filler. It excepts the stain very well.