Chris Craft Sea Skiff Hull Problems

[ScottyO]

I have a 1960 30' Sea Skiff with some hull issues. The boat has been suspended in a boat house fo 12 years. It is a plywood lapstrake. There is a black coloring on the keel and on the boards closest to the keel which concerns me. It looks like wetness but, the wood is dry. The wood is solid (tested with pocket knife) but I am guessing that the black coloring is indicative of rot.

I am also concerned about the forward section of the keel. There is some material missing (should show in picture). I am looking for advice on what to do about this.

Primary concern with boat is seaworthiness. Secondary concern is prospect for restoration.

[Mr. Know It All]

ScottyO......You might be able to remove those black water stains with wood bleach(oxcilic (sp) acid. I am faced with the same problem(black water stains) with our 1961 Lyman lapstrake and would be interested to hear from anyone who has tried this.
peace----> Kevin in Ohio

[PugetSound]

You haven't said what the keel is made of. Oak will turn black when exposed to water. Other woods will also. The staining could also be the result of galvanic action between the wood and the fasteners. If this is so, then the wood might be solid on the outside and all eaten away on the inside.

What I'd recommend is that you do a complete survey of the vessel for soft-spots (rot) as well as soundness (use a rubber mallet). If you aren't sure what to look for then get a pro to do it -they're worth the cost (both in terms of finding problems in need of correction and in terms of allaying concerns. If everything surveys OK, then bleach the stains, paint the hull and put her back in service.

[Alan D. Hyde]

The ribs should be white oak, and the keel douglas fir.

The Chris-Craft Collection in the Mariner's Museum at Newport News, Virginia has complete specs, plans, original manuals, etc.

The Curator is Jerry Conrad, and his assistant is Katie. Both are very helpful. The website is at

www.mariner.org (http://www.mariner.org)

Good luck. These are lightly-built but strong and well-designed boats. They have a good reputation as rough water vessels.

Alan

[L Kessler]

If your Sea Skiff is reflective of mine and all others I have looked at, the keel is made up of two main components; the inner keel (as known as the keelson by Chris Craft) and outer keel. The inner keel is typically constructed from a single piece of mahogany, whereas the outer keel may have been constructed from two or three pieces of white oak (connecting the inner keel to the stem and gripe). The strakes (planks) adjacent to the keel are called garboards.
With this said, black stains on the inner keel could be one of two replacement scenarios; either rot, or seeping motor oil. Some of the keels I have replaced (including a 35 foot Sea Skiff), have had oil saturated portions, immediately adjacent to the vessel's engine(s). In this area, virtually all strength was gone from the wood fibers. If the black stains are from rot, they too are a good indication that wood needs replacement, not scrubbing.
Fear not, though it may appear traumatic, keel replacement in the Sea Skiff though time consuming is rather simple. The process of removal will more than likely cost you new garboards as well, however as the original is a simple marine plywood strake, the replacements should be as well.
Hope this helps.
Larry

[Mr. Know It All]

A marine survey is sound advise for a 30 foot wood boat. In the Great Lakes area try---> http://www.greatlakesmarine.com/
Peace---> Kevin in Ohio