Replanking Bottom

[Vincent Serio III]

I have an 18' Hampton One-Design sailboat, built in the 1940's. The hard-chined V-bottomed hull is planked with Atlantic White Cedar over sawn mahogany frames. The previous owner sheathed the bottom in fiberglass. After removing the glass and paint, the sides look like they were strip planked, and the bottom was carvel planked with 8" planks.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid146/pf7776fad2cd0a8e73a9ede4bb0913c81/f65660f5.jpg

The bottom is in pretty rough shape, with several planks cracked down the center. At least 2 bottom planks should probably be replaced, but while I am at it I was thinking about just replanking the whole bottom. I'd like to dry sail the boat, so I am wondering if I should strip plank the bottom as well. How should I proceed? Is strip planking technically a little easier than carvel planking a v-bottom? Would I glue the edges with epoxy? Sheath the end product with epoxy?

Another question. Several of the frame bottoms are cracked. Should I replace the frames before replanking the bottom or should I replace them after I have the bottom planks off?

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid161/p669d91d10f975ded0ef4484152ab39f3/f4c77d37.jpg
Side is strip planked

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid161/p643378492613e4a9ebffd435574c65c0/f4c77d50.jpg
Bottom planks with seam compound

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid161/p606aa7748fe6871ab524e9e7e1a2fac2/f4c77d3d.jpg
Close up of cracked frame

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid161/p00aaac712f1ca05a6e62b196c12ee9c4/f4c77d31.jpg
View of chine, intact side frames and bottom

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid161/pf116066479ce6d8bce167f4e70b07ead/f4c77d2d.jpg
Bottom frames and cracked bottom planks

Thanks. You can see the rest of my album at

HOD 342 Restoration (http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=4287155413)

[Bob Smalser]

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid146/p97579192d0e9d82b17673e3571b71ca6/f65660fe.jpg

The sides don't look strip planked from here...those are 3-4" riftsawn planks and there's two screws in each plank at the hood end. The seams are close as in a number of racing boats designed to live in the protection of a boat house and spend three hours a week in the water for three months a year...use an awl to see if there's cotton between the planks.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid161/pf116066479ce6d8bce167f4e70b07ead/f4c77d2d.jpg

The bottom cracked because the builder used 8"-wide flatsawn boards, thinking about that boat house. Replace them with 4"-wide, airdried, rift or q-sawn boards and you won't have that problem. I'd use Western Red, Port Orford or Alaska Yellow Cedar, with Western Red the last choice and an 8th inch thicker than the other two if I used it. Doug Fir...which your bottom looks to be of now...and also your deck....moves a bit too much for those planks on a drysailed boat. The bottom could also be Longleaf Pine, which is similar to DF in movement.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid116/p048de60d2213ecd41f84d5617944a2ca/f8b8ba75.jpg

Same with the deck that looks glued...it cracked because it has too much flatsawn wood in it...probably combined with neglect...and the pinkish wood looks to be DF, but could also be spruce or even LLP. You can repair the original with router and spline but it may crack again....keep it well painted and the boat covered when on the trailer, and at replacement time use the more stable q-sawn wood. Notice it was the flatsawn plank that cracked, even though they are stronger under crossways stress than q-sawn.

Another option to keep a solid deck laid up with glue from cracking again is to let in a cotton-caulked center plank so there is room for the deck to expand and contract.

In an Idaho trailer boat, I'd carvel the bottom using airdried wood like the original. No fabric or goo on that original classic, please. You won't have any problems if your joinery is good and you keep it well painted. Dismantle the bottom, replace the cracked frames using White Oak (Garry Oak locally), then replace the planking. If the frames are Doug Fir instead, you can use DF to replace them at that scantling size only if you can find some high ring count old-growth at your local hardwood supplier. If the frame is H Mahog as advertised, then replace it with oak...I don't think the modern, plantation-grown stock is as strong as what was available in 1940...and it's spendy.

And the original boat looks great beside Nancy Fleming:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid113/p4161b04cb8624b0c7de0afdb724b2db8/f8e982d1.jpg

[ 03-24-2005, 01:21 AM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[outofthenorm]

I think Bob's analysis is bang on. And I'd say there's nothing wrong with that little girl you can't make right by following his advice - and she's well worth the effort. I'll also second the thought about steering clear of fabric and goo.You'll never regret keeping her close to original.

Good luck!

Norm

[Vincent Serio III]

I've updated my album to include old pictures of the Hampton One Design under sail:

HOD 342 Restoration (http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=4287155413)

[Bob Smalser]

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid162/pbbf68259fa12b8fbe0036e2662fb0c8c/f4b4209c.jpg

Your Grandfather built that boat. Neat.

[JimD]

A related question, but how hard is it to get good quality Port Oxford cedar? Its heavier and quite a bit stronger than WRC and therefore preferred for planking as Bob suggests.

[Vincent Serio III]

I think Bob could answer that one...I'd also like to know a good supplier in the Pacific Northwest/Intermountain region.

[Bob Smalser]

Too far south for my contacts....and it has such a small range it's not a real common wood.

One POF sawyer advertises in WB...otherwise I'd go over to Woodweb and ask there.

But at a weight almost identical to heavy Doug Fir, I wouldn't call it preferred stock for boats designed to be light.

I would use it for Rebel's bottom planking, tho...as there's where you want some weight and toughness relative to the AWC sides.

[ 03-28-2005, 09:53 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]