Need Some Opinions on Design

[phishown]

I'm restoring a 38 foot chesapeake deadrise and everyone that has looked at the layout of the inside has questioned the design. There are no stringers aside from 4 2x4,s running the distance of the hull (2 on each side of a massive stem). The freeboard planks run horizontal as normal, however, the underwater planks are transverse. It has a 2x8 for a chime board and 3x5 oak framing about 18" apart. There are no true bulkheads other than 4 large timbers running transverse that don't accend more than a 3rd of the way up the freeboard from the bottom of the hull. I'm from the gulf coast and this boat isn't hince the opinions I'm getting are from here as well. Because the bottom planks attach at the bottom of the chime board (outboard side) and at the top of the keel (inboard side) it seems there is not much more than 2x4 holding the bottom planks. The planks are epoxy glued though. I'm new to the wooden boat world!! Any opinions are greatly appreciated.

[Thad]

I don't like the epoxy glueing, although if it is just the seams and the boat is constantly wet it is probably OK. Otherwise your general description sounds fine to me EXCEPT for the planks fastened to the top of the keel. I would like a more detailed description/picture of that, which on the face of it does not sound right.

[Billy Bones]

Agreed with Thad.

Chesapeake boats are often cross-planked on the bottom.

Perhaps MIke/Oyster will be along to chime in too as he knows a great deal about this sort of craft. Or maybe I'll send him a heads-up.

[phishown]

The Boat was built in Deltaville, Va in 1978. The previous owner thought the builder's name was Green. I misguided the statement about the botom planks attaching to the top of the keel. What I meant was the planks fasten to the top and side of the keel not on top of the keel...The Keel is bolted through to the stem (I may not be correct with my terms but the main beam in the center is called the stem, correct?) here are some pics...I will try to get some of the frame work tomorrow!

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/markalantillman/slideshow?.dir=/8677&.src=ph

[bugeye]

Hi there,
What you're looking at is absolutely typical. The four transverse timbers are called strongbacks, and they act like floors in more conventional construction. What is it that is epoxied? That's definately not typical. Typically the bottom planks are tightly fitted one to another with no caulking. When the boats get old and start leaking, they will caulk these seams, usually with a large screwdriver and a ball peen hammer, and they call it "chinking", not caulking. This all sounds very crude and untrustworthy to people unfamiliar, but it works great. They're wonderful boats. The same basic construction is used for the small Smith Island crab scrapes all the wayup to skipjacks and buyboats. Enjoy!