Glued Lapstrake Repairs

[Bobcat]

I have the opportunity to adopt a Whisp, but the top strake on each side has patches of rot. How does one replace one strake on a boat likely glued together with epoxy? I have the plans for the boat and could make two new top strakes, but I don't know how to get the damaged ones off the boat.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Cuyahoga Chuck]

I am absolutly not qualified to to give you THE answer but I have taken apart numerous things smaller than a rowboat that were glued together with epoxy. The release medium was heat from an electric heat gun and a bit of pressure to pull the joint apart.
At about 140°F epoxy starts to soften a bit. If you can get the stuff up to about 160° without burning the wood you should be able to pull stuff apart with a little effort.

[ishmael]

You want the straight answer? It ain't easy. Not only are you dealing with the top strake, you've got the inwhales and outwhales to deal with, which are undoubtedly also glued.

Heat, as Chuck suggests, might work, I've never tried it.

I've got a Whisp I built to plan. It's a great little rowing skiff. Lithe, fast. But if I ever build another rowing skiff it won't be ply and epoxy precisely because of this issue. You can't take the damn boat apart, and sometimes you need to.

[Candyfloss]

the top strake on each side has patches of rot.

How the hell did that happen?

Probably your easiest option is to scarf in patches to replace the rotted bits.

[Rational Root]

I am absolutly not qualified to to give you THE answer but I have taken apart numerous things smaller than a rowboat that were glued together with epoxy. The release medium was heat from an electric heat gun and a bit of pressure to pull the joint apart.
At about 140°F epoxy starts to soften a bit. If you can get the stuff up to about 160° without burning the wood you should be able to pull stuff apart with a little effort.

that's only about 61° C

You could try a steam cleaner ?

[Thorne]

More info and hopefully photos are needed to really answer this question. Also much depends on how committed you are to fully duplicating the original build and plans -- or will you consider modifying the inwale/outwale/gunwale structure?

Otherwise my answer is as above -- heatgun, old hacksaw blades, grinder, scrapers. Rinse and repeat. :D

[Bob Smalser]

I have the opportunity to adopt a Whisp, but the top strake on each side has patches of rot. How does one replace one strake on a boat likely glued together with epoxy? I have the plans for the boat and could make two new top strakes, but I don't know how to get the damaged ones off the boat.


This commonly happens when the boat is left upside down on the ground without benefit of bearers to keep soil organisms from feasting on the wood.

The solution simple. Remove the rotten bits and scarf in new. I generally saw them off, as the saw (followed by a rasp) does most of the scarf beveling at the same time, but a heat gun will also work.

I suggest you also plumb and measure the boat for any twist incurred during its improper storage, and repair that while you are at it. This involves removing knees and thwarts, pulling the boat into alignment and holding it there, and replacing/reinstalling them.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/8408305/113106757.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/8408305/113344752.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/8408305/113600042.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/8408305/113600129.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/8408305/113944400.jpg
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/8408305/116470956.jpg

[paladin]

Damn nice looking pram, sir....

[Bobcat]

I am assuming that the suggestion is just to cut out the rotten parts of the strake and not replace the whole strake?

[Thorne]

That's why I asked for more info. You say "patches of rot" -- but how large, what part of the sheerstrake, etc etc etc????

In most cases you should be able to follow Bob's excellent advice and just replace the rotted parts. But if they are right at bow or transom, or may involve frames or other parts like inwale, outwale or frames, more work might be involved...hard to say.

[Bobcat]

Thanks for all the replies. I know nothing about the history of this boat. I found in my boat yard, which is concrete and learned it was abandoned. I do not know how or why the boat rotted.

There appear to be only two large areas of rot. One is forward on the starboard side a bit behind the stem. The other bit is on the port side about amidships. I do not know if the rot extends to the inwale/gunwale complex or not, at this point. I am trying to decide if this a project I want to take on or not. I may well be able to cut out the rotten parts and not replace the whole strake