Timber boats

[daniel boon]

Hi all this is the first time on this site so here goes hope some one can help me we just bought a 18 ft hartley half cab timber cruiser and we just took it for the first run and the boat seemed to take a little bit of water in the hull now the boat was out of the water for a while is this normall i have heard that some times they will take a bit in untill the timber swells is this true and what could i paint the hull with to seal it up as it has a few spots where paint is nissing and i can see timber

Thanks all
Daniel

[Poida]

G'day Daniel.

Where's Springwood?

I got a Hartley 20', bought second hand, also took a bit of water.

What I did was launch it with the floor up and looked to see where the water was coming in. Found the spot, removed the crappy wood, replaced it sealing it with epoxy sealant.

Is yours inboard? You can expect a bit of water through the seal.

Poida

[daniel boon]

Hi poida Springwood is in the blue mountains australia my hartly is a 115 outboard as i said it didnt leak much but i will try that and maybe get a all purpose sealer and repaint the hull as it needs a fresh coat any way thank you for your help and happy boating to you ... ps i think i am abit paranoid about water leaks

[Poida]

Don't worry mate, I don't think your boat will sink in the Blue Mountains, I'd be more worried if you lived closer to an ocean.

There are lots of threads on this forum about sealing and painting timber boats, so it may be an idea to look then up.

I don't know what your laws are there, but in West Ozz you do not have to have a bilge pump fitted on craft under 7 metres. This is due to the fact that under that size you can use a bailing bucket.

My book of regulations did not explain how you use a baling bucket under the deck and how if you are alone, how you bail and drive the boat at the same time.

My boat's 6 metres and I have 2 bilge pumps fitted.

Poida

[hansp77]

Hey Daniel,
from my limited understanding, a trailerable wooden boat should not leak. Something like a traditional built timber boat designed to actually live on the water could be expected to leak when it is dryed out, until it takes up enough water or the seams to swell. But not a plywood trailerable (it is ply is it not?- rather than timber).
As Poida said, it would be good to know exactly where it is leaking from, and then investigate from there further to see why it is leaking.
Being a wooden boat (as i too own) of course the question must be asked, is there any rot or soft spots?
You could be lucky and the solution might just be to pour a git of goop in your bilges to seal it, but chances are that you will need to do some sort of mechanical refastening (and or replacing of wood) instead of or as well. After all, the boat was originally (presumably) built water-tight, so if there is a gap somewhere that is letting in water, there is either some wood missing (rot, a crack, a hole?) or a join is coming loose (wanting refastening). Just sealing in rot, or glueing in a loose joint without refastening as well, neither are a perfect solution.

I am not too sure what you mean by an "all purpose sealer". I suspect it might not be up to the task of sealing your boat. As Poida said, epoxy is IMHO the way to go here is epoxy (but then again, depending on what is the problem, maybe someting a little more flexible like 3M might work as well- I don't know).
It is hard to say when we really know what the problem is.
Do some more investigating, and try to figure out what is happening. Post some pictures if you can. Pictures are like carrots, they will lure out the people who can really help you out (I am just an amatuer with some procrastinating to do this morning ). Any real advice given from the information provided so far would IMO be unwise.

By the way, if epoxy sealing is the way you end up going, you are going to want the wood to be as dry as posible.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

P.S. is this your model of boat?


(From http://www.hartley-boats.com/)

[Bergalia]

Daniel, as Poida and Hansp suggest leaking is a natural thing in timber boats that have been out of the water for any length of time. BUT - this applies to clinker and carvel construction - not shaped ply (which yours appears to be). Take their advice - lift the floorboards and watch where its weeping. Mark the spot/s with coloured chalk - and lift her onto the 'hard' and when dry - use some form of sealant (after checking for rot or damage). Pitch, old paint from the tip - or if you're flush - a commercial product from the shelf. Good luck.