ignorance and temptation. . .

If this is an ignorant question it's because I'm asking out of ignorance.

I'm looking at a 16 ft hull with an 8 ft beam, don't know much about it other than what the owner says:
"While it doesn't have any structural problems, it does need a good sand and revarnish everywhere. It is very susceptible to leaking when it has dried out and it takes a long time to swell back up."

From the pics he sent, it appears to be a carvel hull with very narrow planks. Pretty lines. Canoe stern; "walnut shaped" as he put it.

I'm looking for a hull that can eventually be used as a steam launch and stored on land, and salt water leaking onto my iron would not be good. I do understand that a properly caulked and maintained wooden boat can be stored under cover without problems, but have also read on this site that recalking a carvel hull isn't a beginner's job. With the narrow planking and endless number of seams, it seems even more daunting.

Am I being tempted by evil, or is such a project likely worth doing?

BTW he wants $3000 obo for the boat with gaff rigging, a 5 hp engine and a 1992 Calkins trailer.

BillJx

 

more construction info

The seller has sent another email with more information. Initially he had described it as a strip built, and later said it was leaking at the seams, which makes little sense. Here it is in his words:

" . . . looks like a strip built canoe on the outside with strips about 3/4 inch wide and probably 1/4 inch thick or so. On the inside there are strips the same size that run vertically (same direction as a frame but butted up just like a strip built). The inside is not planed smooth like the outside. The seats run all the way around the boat and are made of the same style strips. About every foot is a frame that is about the same width(3/4) as the strips but has a tapering thickness up to an inch or 2. The very bottom of the boat is lap strake to a solid keel and has real frames up to floor board level. All of the lap work is below water line. I don't know if the idea here was a strength issue, or if there was a shape that was hard to get with the strips. I have no idea what the wood was. It was rather blonde, and is now heavily faded in parts.

I don't recall seeing a fastener anywhere. I don't recall seeing ANY planking pulling away."

So presumably the leaking is taking place in the section that's lapstraked. Is this kind of construction familiar to anyone??



BIll Jackson

 

Run Bill Run...run like the wind!

 

Ditto the run Bill run comment. A lap boat (even just the bottom) that is leaking has fasteners letting go, for one or more of several reasons. When this happens in traditional lap construction, the planks work back and forth underway, ripping the fasteners out of their holes, cracking/breaking frames and floors, the list goes on. Run as fast as you can . . .

 

The boat in question can be seen on the classifieds page of the Northwest Steam Society at: http://www.pcez.com/~artemis/NWSSclassified.htm - there are three additional large pics that can be accessed from the ad text.

 

Ignorance and temptation...

Yup...DGreenwood and Par have it summed up...Run Bill, run and hide. The registration letters hold the most damming clue...(see Artemis' web ref) - ABA. This could prove your 'Waterloo'.

 

Thank you all! It did look like a lot of work, but beyond that I really had no idea whether it was a doable project or one of those used boat nightmares you hear about.

What with home reno's and family committments I'm in no hurry to further complicate my steamboat project either. I'm at least a couple more years from being able to focus on it, but since appropriate hulls are scarce, I'm always interested in one that I could use for its intended purpose before converting it. Apparently this isn't the one.

ABA? Sorry, I don't get the reference.

Thanks again.

Bill Jackson
Nanaimo

 

Ignorance and temptation