Caulking with Epoxy/Cabosil

[Stevens47]

I have a mahogany trailered power boat project on the go. I am considering striping the old bottom paint back to bare wood. Applying 4 coats of smiths or similar penetrating epoxy to the bare wood. Then caulking the ship lap grooves with epoxy/cabosil fairing and painting a new bottom. The boat is not kept in the water. Does anybody see a problem with this? Is it a bad idea? Should I apply pentrating epoxy to the inside as well. Jack

Originally Posted by Stevens47

I have a mahogany trailered power boat project on the go. I am considering striping the old bottom paint back to bare wood. Applying 4 coats of smiths or similar penetrating epoxy to the bare wood. Then caulking the ship lap grooves with epoxy/cabosil fairing and painting a new bottom. The boat is not kept in the water. Does anybody see a problem with this? Is it a bad idea? Should I apply pentrating epoxy to the inside as well. Jack

As I understand that, it is a Mahogany planked hull, right?

Smiths (or his neighbours stuff) does not penetrate wood in a manner worth to mention. Leave that snake oil material.

Paint it with exterior house paint (yes, no marine label on it), at least five coats, and give her another layer every year, or every other, depending how much you abuse the surface.

Take care to touch up EVERY single scratch immediately after the happening and be fine for another hundred years.

All the ads promoting "penetrating" resins or paint are not worth a single thought.
One cannot penetrate a dry wooden plank to more than a few my. by applying any of the proven matrixes on the surface. And it is not necessary btw.

Caulking is a animal I am not really familiar with, and I refuse to advise on unknown issues. But one point I can tell you for sure.
Involving Epoxy in caulking destroys your boat!!!!

(says the guy who builds boats in wood epoxy)

Others will chime in on caulking advice (if you are happy Daniel or Peter)

Regards
Richard

[gonzo]

That is a sure recipe to destroy your boat. You want to put a rigid seam on a flexible structure. Bad idea.

[pungolee]

I have succesfully restored a lapstrake using this method, that said, I wouldn't recommend it for the casual restorer. Meticulous preparation, fastener and frame replacement are key to success when using Cabo/Epoxy. You are changing the structure of the boat from one that flexes to a rigid, monoque type that will not ride like an original. If not done correctly it will lead to stress cracks and ruin the whole thing.
However, I will be on the Lake this weekend using the lapstrake I restored with this method in 1997. She is fast, sits on top of the water and no leaks are allowed, a far cry from the lumbering leaking mess she once was.