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Is this WD worth restoring ?

Posted: Tue January 2nd, 2007, 10:06 pm
by snark
My wild duck is on a trailer, under a tarpaullin.

I have noticed tiny amounts of water leaking from the hull where the plywood hull meets the keel. (This water is as a result of an engine cooling problem - see my other post.)

I have noticed that the timber at the top of the keel (viewed from within the boat) is slightly dozy. In places I can stick my nail into it to a depth of, say, 2-3mm, max.

Is this boat too far gone to restore ? Can I just epoxy over the leaks on the outside ?

Is there any general reading I should do on restoring boats like a WD ?

In the past I have restored Mirrors and an Pelican.

Posted: Wed January 3rd, 2007, 10:00 pm
by Eventide Owners Group
Hello snark, this in a way is good, for you at least know there is a problem before you launch her and she takes water! Now you can sort it before you launch!

Restorable, of course!

Go along the length of that joint and gouge it out, either by hand.... hard, or with a suitable angle grinder or circular saw, with a depth guage and guide.

Cut a slot where the ply meets the keel, 1/2 deep and 1/4 wide. Let it dry out and ensure there is no soft timber there. Use Metholated spirit spashed into the slot to aid drying, the moisture will combine with the meths and evaporate off, do not smoke whilst doing this! Wait till it's warmer too!

Brush in 2 or 3 coats of epoxy then fill with epoxy resin and filler. Should do the job! You could of course cut a 1/2 inch by 1/4 inch hardwood strip and hammer that in with epoxy, that works too!
Bet she will float OK next season!

Regards,
John
Eventiders

Posted: Thu January 4th, 2007, 5:18 pm
by snark
Eventide Owners Group wrote:Brush in 2 or 3 coats of epoxy then fill with epoxy resin and filler. Should do the job! You could of course cut a 1/2 inch by 1/4 inch hardwood strip and hammer that in with epoxy, that works too!
Bet she will float OK next season!
And presumably I do something similar with the softish wood under the engine - on top of the keel. I need to gouge out all the soft stuff and then apply some resin ? What might be the effect of the engine oil - I know there shouldn't be any, but there is ?

Once I've that all done, what paint should I use - on the hull, the deck, hatch etc ? Am I best to paint the top parts with a clear resin ? I would like to do a good job on her that will last a long time.

Thanks
Thanks.

Posted: Thu January 4th, 2007, 10:27 pm
by Eventide Owners Group
Hi snark,

Cutting out soft wood is always a good idea, if you can scarf in a neat bit of hardwood, suitably glued and screwed, it will stop it spreading. Try a little clear cuprinol in the bilge area, it is always where fresh water lays that rot will develope.

As for oil, scrub it off with hot detergent... I paint bilge areas with International Danboline bilge paint. If you go to a chandlers they will give you a painting guide, stick to one manufacturer and follow their advice.

Epoxy on the boat must be protected from UV in sunshine, so has to be painted. to do this successfully it has to be sanded to key the surface and the correct primer used, accoring to the paint firms advice. I have always used International on this boat, because the had the right colours, but I have used many different paints, all with good effect once you realise that the finish is ALL in the preparation. 7 or 8 coats of filler and primer etc before that glossy topcoat!

For exposed woodwork I gave up using varnish years ago, (OK I have a varnished tiller and washboards, but the tiller is covered and the washboards have to be redone every couple of years.)

Instead I use Sikkens Cetol 7 wood stain, available here at Jewsons builders merchants, it is a satin finish and UV resistant, comes in all shades. I simply rub it over every spring with a rag and white spirit, a gentle rub over with fine wet and dry, touch up any rubbed areas, then apply one coat over the lot, takes no time and lasts all year!

hope all this helps,

Look forward to seeing the pics of the finished results for the site,

John
Eventiders.