Final Bottom Repair? Advice Needed

I have stripped the bottom of my 16 foot Barbour( plywood bottom, lapstrake sides), planning a "Final Bottom" treatment. Before this I used one part putties, paints, etc. I am tired of the Yearly upkeep. Now I am wooding it to install:
One inch fiberglass tape at ply to Lap seams and under removed keel strip.
Entire bottom coat of West System.
Epifanes Epoxy Primer.
System Three Quick Fair, then another coat of Epifanes Epoxy primer.
Then two coats of Epifanes two-part Polyurethane Deep Red.
Then 3 coats of wax. Keel strip and rocker strips bedded in Sika 291.
This is a trailered show boat, was wondering if I should go further with the process now that it is stripped and wooded( a lot of trouble, don't want to do it again)
Replace some or all bottom screws? 6 ounce cloth over the entire bottom instead of just tape at the seams?
Any suggestions?

 

how far up the sides are you going with the glass? I would look into CPES resin. clearpenetrating epoxy system. it is the epoxy version of git rot. I used it restoring a 1962 huckins. the ceps went through two layers halfinch mahogany planks that had epoxy between them and stained the cloth on the outside of the hull. then i used west system epoxy over that.
take into consideration that the inside of the bilge has to be cleaned and sealed with epoxy
word

 

I realise now that I'm two thirds the way into this project I need higher-Tech coatings. 50 dollars a quart isn't enough, even using 2 and 4 quarts of the stuff. I do not wish to EVER do this bottom again, I have applied coat after coat of resin, the Quick-Fair compound was 40 dollars for a quart and I will go through it quickly tomorrow. 2 coats of Epifanes epoxy primer at 40 dollars a quart, then 2 coats of Deep Red Polyurethane at 50 dollars a quart. I have so far taken off 5 days from work, I get up, drink coffee, and start into grinding, sanding, wiping, screwing, and fileting, before I know, it is dark again so I eat a tv dinner and go to bed. The next day I do the same, and I am looking at least 5 more days to see this project through. I have to ask myself, why? Is it worth it? Welded Aluminum boats are looking so attractive, none of this coating nightmare. I am beginning to think after a 10 year love affair with wooden boats I am getting screwed, and not with Silicon Bronze but with Benjamin Franks.

 

There are only a few possible paths you can travel down in regard to wooden boats Pungolee. Myself and Ilan Voyager reminded you of these possibilities in one of your very first posts (if my memory serves me correctly).

The bottom line is you can pay as you go, holding costs and effort down with scheduled maintenance or you can pay a bunch up front and have something that requires less effort and maintenance or you can let nature have her way and play catch up every so often.

Each of these choices are purely owner derived, some out of neglect and unwillingness to cope or from inability to cope. A wooden show boat can multiply these sensations by a factor of ten (or more). I actually knew a guy who shot himself in the brain, over the troubles his old wooden cruiser and home was giving him. It's real pain and many of us fully understand.

Back to your boat. I don't remember enough about your project, but I can say you can just forget about 'glassing the lapstrake portion of the hull. It just doesn't work, for several reasons, trust me, it's not an option, which leaves the bottom.

Sheathing the bottom, possibly around the lowest strake and up to the lowest lap is a possibility. The lower edge of the lowest strake will need to be "eased" usually pretty substantially, so the fabric will conform to the tight radius, but it is possible (this radius is a dead give away at a show too). Using a 45/45 biax with the bias bisecting the corner as it wraps around from bottom to strake, will greatly improve the ability of the sheathing to conform to the quick radius.

A thin sheath is all you'll need, say a 4 or 6 ounce. Additional weight fabric will increase abrasion resistance, but not enough to warrant the extra goo it takes to fill it.

If you have some fasteners that need replacing, you should check all of them. Also check the fastener holes which may have permitted moisture to get into frames and the like. These will need repairs too.

CPES and other penetrating epoxy systems are absolutely useless in your application. In fact it's not much good for anything if you ask me, but some people swear by it. Total encapsulation is the only way epoxy (CPES or other wise) can fully "preserve" or seal wood. If you haven't encapsulated the pieces you're putting epoxy on, then it's just an adhesive or a coating, but it will not prevent moisture gain. As a rule CPES type products work in new construction, but not well in repairs or restoration, unless the part is removed, embalmed in CPES, then coated with regular epoxy, then reinstalled. Personally I don't bother with CPES, for the very small margin gained with it's use, compared to good regular epoxying techniques performance. In other words, regular epoxy, if applied correctly, will easily out perform a penetrating epoxy in every regard and method of measurement.

A quick tip Pungolee, those pre-mixed goo's (Quick-Fair, etc.) are ten times more costly then mixing up a fairing batch yourself.

For what it's worth, the word "boat" literally means Bring Over Another Thousand, for the vast majority of us "suckers". You're not alone, keep stoking it and you'll get 'er done. Keep the faith brother . . .

 

Is there any future for larger wooden boats?

.. this enabled him to keep working on his wooden boat for years, because as he was brain dead, he didnt mind nearly as much. He is now very much in demand fairing wooden boat hulls with longboards all over the country. (apologies if this a friend of anyones)

But seriously folks - my next 28ft trailer/sailer project was going to be done in ply. I am almost on the cusp of getting is specced in aluminium plate after the experience on my recent small strip plank boat project.

The surfacing treatment cost more than the timber in the hull!!!!

So I rang up and got local prices for 5mm marine aluminium plate last week, 1.5 X 6.1 metres = $AU870 per sheet. I estimate I would need 4 of these for one hull, so material alone around $3600. + framing metal

The same area in quality marine ply I would need say 12 sheets of 1.2 X 2.4, @ say $AU80 per sheet = $1000.
Multiply that by five for epoxy, fg, paint, fasteneings, glue etc its about the same cost as the aluminium, and still will require constant maintenance.

The resale value for aluminium will be a whole lot better too. The only downside, is I will have to pay for a welder to finish up the seams.

This is a bit demoralizing for a keen woodworker like me. Are larger wooden boats a thing of the past ?

 

Thanks Par for always sound advice. I put the first quart of Epoxy Primer on today, only Epifanes doesn't give you a full quart of anything, it's 750ml, a little shy. And naturally I was a "little shy" of covering the bottom of a 15'6" skiff.
Bring out another quart!
I opted to tape the seams (plywood bottom only), I just didn't want to glass the bottom. While I work I look at my first boat, a 57 Lumberton River Skiff, that was glassed. Completely shot with rot. I had been fixing small issues over the years only to discover this year she is totally toast, the rot took over that fast! Course the glassed wood did last 50 years, so I guess it worked.
Are large wooden boats a thing of the past? In my opinion, yes, except for young Freaks with a lot of money and time. I would shoot myself if I had to purchase the gallons of over-priced resin it would take to do one right. The woodwork is fun, wearing gear to protect yourself while using two-part coatings is tedious and maddening. I wouldn't do it on a large old tired hull for 100 dollars an hour.
I have spent the cash to do this one right this time, and when completed I will treat it like a baby, and always cover it. I guess I have gotten too old to enjoy the Spring Ritual anymore.
Aluminum(welded) may be the perfect boat material. I need something that can be rode hard and hung up wet without worry.
Wooden boats are sure pretty though, when they have a fresh coat of paint and varnish.