Replacing 1/4" plywood on "skimmer"

Discussion in 'Wooden Boat Building and Restoration' started by Skimmer, May 18, 2011.

  1. Skimmer
    Joined: May 2011
    Posts: 3
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: North Fork of Long Island, NY

    Skimmer New Member

    I'm hoping someone here might be able to steer me in the right direction.

    This is the first time I'm trying to repair what looks like a wooden row boat, though there's clearly a place on the transom for a motor, which I'd like to eventually add. This is a boat I took a scenic picture of a number of years ago and a few years after that I found it on the curb the next street over with "FREE" spray painted on it, the bottom in bad shape.

    http://www.northforkphoto.com/1.htm

    Everything looks solid except the bottom, which looks like it was made out of 1/4" marine plywood. It was soft and held together with fiberglass. I removed it. It didn't appear glued in any way, but there were a ton of little nails holding the bottom on.

    The locals call this boat a skimmer and a guy who hit my photography Web site said he lived out by me (east end of Long Island) and remembers how fast those skimmers could move with a good-sized motor. The bottom is perfectly flat except it curls up at the bow.

    It looks like not too hard a job to put a couple of pieces of plywood on (which means it's probably just barely doable for someone of my limited experience), but I'm not sure how I should be doing it. Should I prepare the plywood first, should I lay some kind of glue down then nail the plywood on and trim it?

    I just want to get out on the water with the kids and this looks like the only way I'm going to be able to swing it this year.

    Any advice or even pointing me to other posts would be greatly appreciated.

    I've attached some other pictures of it with the old bottom and in various stages of pulling the bottom off, in case it helps. The second to last one shows the boat with the bottom completely off. It's a really clean surface along the edge once the plywood was removed.

    Thanks!
     

    Attached Files:

  2. rasorinc
    Joined: Nov 2007
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    Location: OREGON

    rasorinc Senior Member

    Do you know how to check for rotten wood? I'm talking about the frames? If you can push an ice pick or sharpe blade into the wood and it goes in easy it is rotten and needs replacing. That is the quick method
     
  3. Skimmer
    Joined: May 2011
    Posts: 3
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    Location: North Fork of Long Island, NY

    Skimmer New Member

    Thanks! I didn't know that but I bet all the wood but the bottom would pass that test. I think the fiberglass was keeping the bottom together.

    Any thoughts on how to get a new bottom on?

    Thanks!
     
  4. LeslieD
    Joined: Oct 2012
    Posts: 3
    Likes: 0, Points: 0, Legacy Rep: 10
    Location: Charlottesville, Virginia

    LeslieD New Member

    Skimmer

    When I was in high school, I had a skimmer on the South Shore bay of Long Island. I can only think that that type of boat is local to LI since I cannot find any other reference to a boat of this type. I love your picture and have it saved to remind myself of the great pleasures I had on the robins egg blue Two Quart (because it was only a half galleon) with the 5 1/2 hp Johnson engine. Good times! Hope you got yours restored.
     
  5. Skimmer
    Joined: May 2011
    Posts: 3
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    Location: North Fork of Long Island, NY

    Skimmer New Member

    Thanks Leslie! I actually was able to restore it this summer and had it out on the water a few times, including motoring around the tall ships festival as well as the maritime festival out here in Greenport.

    It's small but stable and did the trick getting the family out on the water. Here are three pictures.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. LeslieD
    Joined: Oct 2012
    Posts: 3
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    Location: Charlottesville, Virginia

    LeslieD New Member

    Skimmer

    OMG! I love that boat! You did a great job. I am going to save your pics and see if I can get someone down here in Virginia to build one. Can't find any plans.
    PS - we stayed in Greenport in September on a trek out the Island (seeing my hometown) and then taking the Orient Point Ferry to CT. Wish I could have seen the boat in person.
     
  7. hoytedow
    Joined: Sep 2009
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    Location: Control Group

    hoytedow Carbon Based Life Form

  8. Dirteater
    Joined: Oct 2010
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    Location: Canada

    Dirteater Senior Member

    Nice job skimmer!
    she looks good.
    it looks as if you replaced the hull?

    DE
     

  9. LeslieD
    Joined: Oct 2012
    Posts: 3
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    Location: Charlottesville, Virginia

    LeslieD New Member

    skiff plans

    Thanks, hoytedow - close enough.
     
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