Mahogany unfinished

[Kelsey]

How long can you leave mahogany unfinished, out of the elements (in an unheated white shrink wrapped temporary boat house) before any real damage occurs? There is no direct sunlight, but it's the moisture in the air I am worried about. There are sections of my brightwork that I was thinking about stripping now, but because the air temperature is too cold, not varnishing until late february. I know I should just wait to feb to strip, then refinish...but another part of my project is on hold, and there is not much else to do...I want to get SOMETHING done over the winter...right?

[ishmael]

If it's protected from exposure to rain and snow, no problema.

[Mike Vogdes]

Is it feasable to remove the mohagany and bring it indoors for finishing?

[Mr. Know It All]

How do you plan to strip the finish if it's cold? Chemical stripper requires warmer air to work properly. Heat gun and scraper is what I've used on exterior hull paint in the winter with good results but am wondering what to use on brightwork varnish in a cold unheated enviroment like the gar...uh...boatshop. :D
Peace---> Kevin in Ohio

[Kelsey]

I have brought everything that's not tied down, inside to be varnished. But what I am really talking about is everything that's attatched, basically most of the aft deck, and miles of trim. It's a 26' ft. 1957 Chris Craft Sea Skiff...so there is a ton of brightwork. The finish is in such poor condition, that with not much effort at all, I can simply sand off what's left of the finish. The harder areas I have tested with a heat gun and scraper, and it seems to work.

[Mike Vogdes]

Well if you got everything off thats coming off then its a waiting game for warmer weather.

How bout the not so romantic stuff... like the belts and hoses, stuffing box and packing, thru hulls. cutless bearings, exaust risers, all that gunk in the window tracks... What no holding tank? Come on Kelsey there's plenty of stuff to play with..

[John Blazy]

The only thing to concern you regarding moisture would be when spring arrives. This is the driest time of year, but in the spring, dry wood can absorb the moisture from humidity and reach equilibrium moisture content, that can take kiln dried wood at 7 - 9 % MC and jump it to 20%. Really depends on how humid, maybe not much in CT. Strip it, sand it, then torpedo heat the space before and after epoxying a seal coat, and varnish later. Maybe you can seal only the critical members that might expand in humidity? - JB

[Mr. Know It All]

A 26 ft. Chris Craft Sea Skiff? Thats a lapstrake constructed plywood boat and ya say it's a 57 too? I've heard those look alot like Lyman Cruisettes. I'd love to see pictures of your boat Kelsey. smile.gif

[Kelsey]

Mr. Know it All (and anybody else who cares), I have posted some pictures at this address...
http://members17.clubphoto.com/brian673753/1097422/owner-5c79.phtml
I think it should work...it's one of those cheapo free picture posting sites....

[ishmael]

More pictures please!

I only know the open skiffs. The cabin has me thrown. I wonder how much modification has been done over the years? Is that helm station original? Silly question, of course it's original.

Like the Gilliganesque of it. Looks very different than our open SS.

Could be somewhat rare.

How'd ya repair the port side? Descriptions please.

Don't worry, we'll tell ya what ya did wrong. ;)

[ 01-12-2003, 11:43 PM: Message edited by: ishmael ]

[Mike Vogdes]

Yea... more pictures!!

Looks like you have a good project going there.
Whar kind of power she have?

[Kelsey]

More pix coming...I have to admit...seeing that the rotted lapstrakes were so close to the waterline, and being that I wasn't exactly sure how to do it, and and for the safety of my family, I opted to hire a wooden boatright to do the repair the time. It involved replacing frames too, it was just beyond my scope of knowledge. I DID however learn what he did, so I can do my own hull repairs (hopefully) next time. The forward windows leaked, and that's what eventually rotted the frames and laps...to make it even more difficult, some of the laps that needed replacing, were underneath the spray rail. So that had to come off and be re-built from scratch. He did a beautiful job. I am in the process of completely re-doing the interior, and/or stripping the brightwork on the decks (which-ever I feel like doing)...and once the warmer weather comes, I'll concetrate more on the exterior..varnishing, painting...I plan on laying a teak foredeck (with some help!)...