Saving Old Seagulls

She's a Beauty Hugo well worth the effort. Take your time and enjoy.

She is, I'd forgotten. Did a lot of searching to find her.

New moto:

Looking forward to following you're journey have a look at Westsytem’s “Wooden Boat Restoration and Repair” guide.
http://www.westsystem.com/ss/assets/how ... Repair.pdf
I have little boat building knowledge none with traditional Clinker construction (Nail & Rove) this is what I did to repair my boat after
our Murray River trip. It’s an epoxy boat with 6mm ply sides, epoxy can be nasty stuff but it lets blokes like me play with wood.

Cut out damaged area


Tapered the edge of the hole 8-1


Cut a patch to match hole & taper.


Coat with epoxy the coat with thickened epoxy and clamp (I screwed).


Sand smooth.


I glassed mine because the damaged area was at the chine.


Paint.


John

Thanks John. That is pretty well the way I decided to do it to. I was going to do a 6/1 scarf but will reconsider to 8/1. I found some timber grinding discs that fit an angle grinder that work well. Clamping is presenting me with a bit of a problem so I thought I would cut out the damaged plank from rib to rib and do the join on the rib and use the copper nails and roves to permanently fasten and clamp at the same time. I'm trying to stay away from epoxy apart from the 2 part glue.

I also have to work out the best way of caulking the planks. If I glue them the boat may not flex as required. A shipwright suggested letting the paint run into the plank longitude joins though I not entirely happy with this. I'll see what they did originally when I pull it apart. I like the idea of the original method of using cotton but as the boat sits on a trailer and plywood planks don't swell it wouldn't really be relevant. Tar is another option. Having an original construction method but using ply seems to create problems. Not much on the web either. I haven't come across another ply clinker that is built with steamed ribs and copper fasteners!

Wonder what sort of glue they used in the '50's?

Cheers! Not that I drink these days

Traditional Clinkers flex I read or heard somewhere that when boat builders started to use plywood for planks
a polysulfide was used to seal the laps because ply wouldn't swell like the solid timbers did.

John

Ok, Finally I'm ready to start to repair. Marine Ply, (known as bondwood then) copper nails and roves circa 1947 - 51. ( I found that during my research stint at the library). Had to make frame as all work to be done in one car parking space including the trailer. The joys of inner city living

Bluudy 'ell! When I bought my first seagull I didn't think it would lead me to doing cabinetmaking. I've found that the planks are chamfered and glued to each other. Which will make the boat strong considering the light timber. I'm surprised how strong the glue is after 60 odd years. I need to acquire one of those reciprocating vibration saw thingos, that look a bit like a sheep shearing cutter to separate the planks. Dug up an old plane and have been practicing with that for the chamfers (is that what they are called?). Talking of wood planes is it ok to use WD40 on an oil stone to sharpen blade? That's a question for woodworkers, I guess.

Only part of some planks to replace rot

is it ok to use WD40 on an oil stone to sharpen blade? That's a question for woodworkers

Yup 100% it ok.

Good luck with the project... take your time and do a nice job of it.

Thanks. I wish to keep it as original as I can. It seems to be a transition boat between traditional clinker and modern plywood. Could be a museum piece one day.

It has just dawned to me that I need to go back to the tools that was used in her construction. Power tools, while quick and fast, just wont have the finesse required. I need a good set of wood chisels and a mallet. A spokeshave will be handy and I seem to recall a tool with a sharp point to scribe a line along indented edges, what is that called?

Last time I did woodwork was at school where I built a pair of speakers. The acoustics are fantastic, more arse than class. I still have them and have replaced the 10" woofers a few times but the tweeters have survived. They have powered many a police raided party . I built them in 1968. Black Sabbath was a real speaker killer. I think I still have their original vinyls in the loft.

What is a good brand of chisels? Being a tradesman I hate crap.

Woodwork gauge is the tool for scribing marks.I prefer Marples,no I'm not a cabinet maker ,Stanley,if you can get the Made in the USA.I used to bluff my way doing joinery.Here's a link worth a read.https://paulsellers.com/2014/08/which-c ... d-you-buy/

Great link. Thanks. There is a market not too far away with a few sellers of old tools. I might go and scavenge around a bit. The Aldi ones sound interesting.