40' Owens Aruba

[Whanton]

I'm replacing the 3/8 plywood inside layer against the frames in the aft section of the hull . I removed the planks 20 on each side of the keel and the old plywood (delaminated) I also replaced some frames, 5 on one side and 3 on the other. I cut and fit the new marine plywood and screwed on temporary for winter (to keep animals out). My question is between the old ply. and planks they had what looked like caulk soaked canvas. I don't intend to do this but I need some kind of bedding where the screws go thru between the plywood and planks. I will use the old planks as most are still good. I am wondering if window glazing compound works ? That is what the stuff that came out looks like. Any suggestions or ideas will be appreciated. Thanks, Bill

[Doug Finlay]

Bill,

I know classic wood yachts pretty well, You say your boat is a 40' Owens Aruba. If its a 40 footer it should be a Tahitan model, not an Aruba. The Aruba model was 42 feet, the largest of the Owens fleet and a beamer and more recent design than the Tahitian. Anyway, Owens installed a layer of canvas between inner and outer planking to cut down on water seeping into the hull, especially right after launching. From the factory, Ownes Arubas did not have an inner planking of plywood, but mahogany planking, just like on the outside, run at angles. If your boat has inner plywood, I would think that a bottom replacement was done after the boat was built as double diagonal planking was expensive to do. Also, it was generally accepted that the inner canvas liner later contributed to wood rot as the canvas degraded. This is why many Arubas (and Tahitans), had botton replacements after they were only 10-15 years old. Incidently, the decks were teak, though quite thin, and installed with staples If you have any questions, plase write.

Doug

[Whanton]

Doug - This is a 1970 Owens Aruba 42 feet. I wasn't thinking when I wrote the thread . It has mahogany interskin plywood 3/8'' on the bottom and 1/4" on the sides. I have an orginal description an it says double planked mahogany - "(an inter layer of 3/8" planking is screwed on sides and bottom then coated with a thiokol adhesive.The bottom then fitted with canvas and thiokol applied to canvas liner before 1/2" planking is laid diagonally to the inner layer and screwed to the frames)".
On repairs to the sides I have replaced the mahogany plywood and rolled West system on both sides on the bottom. I figured out the bottom frames probably rotted from high moisture as the rot was only in the area aft of the engines in sections were almost no air circulates. I 'm going to install blowers so air will circulate if I can find some. This thiokol crap that was dried out looked like old window caulk. I need to come up with something between where the screws go through the bottom planks into the new 3/8" marine plywood to the frames. This new ply is much better quality than what I took off. I you have any ideas I would appreicate them.