Separate Deck From Hull

Discussion in 'Sailboats' started by BobBill, Oct 17, 2009.

  1. kite sailor
    Joined: Dec 2009
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    Location: Boston, MA

    kite sailor Junior Member

    BobBill, the rudder is original, it was an option when ordered from what I can find. Its mentioned in the revised wikki entry which is a bunch better than it was. I think I might get a good shot of ours and replace the pic that there, since the rig in that pic is wrong.

    Catenahalf, the paint both the hull and deck are from West Marine's Perfection line Perfection Rochelle Red. By the way I now get your username after seeing your pics, I am envious you have two regardless of condition. I couldn't find any prefab molded grip surface that wasn't vinyl tape like stuff, so we used a grip additive in the paint, works well too. Too bad about your mast, and don't give up trying to get that red one apart. Try using some commercial adhesive removers. We had some areas where it softened things up a bit, one we used came in a airisol can... Blaster PB or AC something like that, designed to remove stickers and decals took a whole can to get thru a tough spot on the transom but it eventually softened it. If you can find a wooden boat builder anywhere close to you (they do exist though few and far between) contact him you'll likely find help for your mast. A few years ago I had a good case of rot in the foot of my mast it had begun to split straight through, my dad found a wooden boat guy in Marble Head and we took the mast to him and now it looks as though nothing ever happened. I realize rot and a complete break are not the same, but you might find a way to save it.
     
  2. BobBill
    Joined: Oct 2009
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    Location: Minnesotan wakes up daily, in SE MN, a good start,

    BobBill Senior Member

    Kite Dinghy Restore

    Thanks for the info. That option was a rare one but not as rare as the oar lock option.

    If you get some time, could you measure your rudder blade and PM me or post here? I have a Laser II rudder assembly and before I add length or width, I would like to have some idea of what to do.

    I have finally determined how I will split the hull and deck on this boat. I took out all the poly used to fasten the two units and learned that the poly on this boat extends a bit over the hull. That will require cutting into the hull a little bit at an angle in order to maintain the deck lip or outer edge.

    I figure it would not be a big deal to rebuild that area with glass and epoxy. The only area at this point that will be tricky is the stern. That will require removal of the deck lip as the bond area is too thin to insert or separate. Then of course, the wood in the stern will have to be replaced, am sure.

    Any ideas, would appreciate the advice.

    Here are pics of Kites owned by John out in southern CA, aka "Smart Like Tractor." He is on here and Sailing Anarchy. He now has three of them. I visited him when out in SD area to pick up my boat and he had two nice Kite's then. Nice boats...The beached one belongs to another fellow who found it in the shape pictured.

    BTW, a mast runs about $1000 so even though mine is okay, I bought a used aluminum mast and boom set for a Force Five which will fit into the Kite mast step with some minor alterations. The sail will be a new Laser practice sail, cheap and near the same size, that will fit easily.

    I was the one who edited the Wiki info on the Kite, and you are correct, the boat pictured is not rigged as orig Kite. I was going to put up a copy of the advert from Newport, but cannot figure out how to get it up on Wiki, with all their copyright demands. The pic is shown earlier on this thread, I think, so if you can rip it and put it up, go for it. It is so old as to be public domain now. If you need copy will send.

    If you could post pics of dagger board you made and measurements as well as rudder, it will help others and I will be posting pics of my refurbishing and the aluminum rig as well, so others can benefit.

    Thanks for the help and information on the rudder also.

    BTW, my Kite has been named "Cat Pause."
     

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    Last edited: Aug 2, 2010
  3. BobBill
    Joined: Oct 2009
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    BobBill Senior Member

    Kite Restore

    Class logo from full size scan, can be any color.
     

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  4. BobBill
    Joined: Oct 2009
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    Location: Minnesotan wakes up daily, in SE MN, a good start,

    BobBill Senior Member

    Kite Dinghy Restore

    If you wonder why a fine boat goes extinct like the Kite, you have to look at the builder.

    This little boat got tossed about by corporations in the 70s, when the market and the nation in general was down (Reagan, inflation and so on) and these companies compromised construction.

    For example, my little boat ended up with stainless steel rub rails, instead of teak, and pop rivets, instead of screws, to hold the rail and deck.

    And this boat ended up with cut styrofoam strips tossed into hull for flotation, loose, so it moves around.

    Compromise quality and what do you get, besides bankruptcy?

    I will post pics when I remove deck. It is sad.

    I might add, that from what I note on the three or four boats that have been restored, all of the others pictured and elsewhere due to age, if nothing else, need to have the flotation removed and undergo a bit of restoration to bring them back to being a lively dinghy, as Carter Pyle designed them and Newport built them to be on the water.

     
  5. BobBill
    Joined: Oct 2009
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    Location: Minnesotan wakes up daily, in SE MN, a good start,

    BobBill Senior Member

    Kite Dinghy Restore Early Newports Boats Advert

    For the interested...circa 1967
     

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  6. BobBill
    Joined: Oct 2009
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    Location: Minnesotan wakes up daily, in SE MN, a good start,

    BobBill Senior Member

    Split Hull on Kite and More

    Kite Sailor,

    Been thinking about rudder and about your capsizes...if your dagger board is not same surface area as original it may be cause of flips and some unnecessary side slip...I will measure my dagger board surfaces, to note square inches of surface and post. Will do same for my second rudder before I add to surface area. If close, will do nothing until I try it out.

    I figure if the surface areas are equal, the effect should be similar...

    Have epoxied/glassed the hull bottom and am now about to be splitting hull. To clean and prep.

    Am also adding easily removable thwart seat and oar lock unit that will fit into the dagger board slot with short extension for stability (next year) and close slot in that config.

    Will post pics shortly.
     
  7. BobBill
    Joined: Oct 2009
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    Location: Minnesotan wakes up daily, in SE MN, a good start,

    BobBill Senior Member

    Kite Dinghy Restore Project

    Pics here.

    It seems most of these little boats will not yield easy separation of the deck hull components that Kite Sailor experienced, unless the boat was one of the older series and/or abused and worked on...it seems later boats, mine is a 73, are well glued at bow and stern sections and along the interior stiffeners.

    The wood in the stern may or may not be soft. In my case, boat interior was clean, single transom wood is like new...

    If transom wood is soft and the stern is glued tight to hull at drain area, you have two choices: drill many holes and inject Git-Rot or similar epoxy based cure into wood. It will work, if you take time, dry it well and do it right. It is tedious task. But if wood is powder, then you can remove outside of transom glass enough to remove and replace that wood and glass over, adding stringers, of wood strips or pipe insulation wrapped in glass and epoxied, stuffed appropriately on each side and thin plastic backer for finish glass laminate. I once repaired an 8 foot wide transom on old PowerCat that had rotten core with Git Rot and many many holed, then epoxied it solid and glassed...perfect repair.

    In my case, the maker did not install wood athwart stern, so I am adding.

    Pics should explain much. Desc info as you mouse over should show somewhere.

    I separated deck/hull seam with Craftsman Multi-tool with the narrow and small, fine/modeling saws. That step may be avoided, but it does offer a way to see the interior and be sure all the foam or whatever is removed. It will add cloth and reattach when interior dry and vacuumed.

    The old flotation was tossed, and "Pool Noodles" to replace...four will float 1000 plus lbs.
     

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    Last edited: Sep 12, 2010

  8. jamtans
    Joined: Dec 2010
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    Location: Kailua, Hawaii (Oahu)

    jamtans New Member

    I have a Newport Kite (refurfishing it) in Honolulu now. Just bought all the parts off or a derelict Kite a few months ago - so there are two that I know of in Hawaii. Anyone else out here with a Kite? 808 551-9520 (jamtans). Posted Jan 11.
     
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