Old Charm

[maa. melee]

Being my first time here, I'd like to say 'ahoy' to everyone and that this forum has answered many of my lingering questions about boat building. Now, onto business: I am building an 18' work skiff. This is my first home built boat even though I have had alot of experience in woodworking and even more in machining and engineering. Because I need build a replacement for my current work skiff by this summer, it's about time I get cracking! Because money is tight, the boat will most likely be moored for 2 or 3 days max. in salt water, and it's longevity isn't of high priority (once called the 'disposable boat'), I plan to build her out of standard lumber products which are readily available at the lumberyard. This brings me to a few questions:
I'm not using epoxy because it’s very expensive around here. An old timer told me a good thick coat of black petroleum tar on the bottom and petroleum roofing cement for joints (along with caulking) will hold up nicely. Can anyone give me some info on affordable bottom coating and joining compounds? (By joining compounds I mean glues I can use to bed a deadwood, fill bottom planking seams, bed chines and frames etc.)
Any comments are appreciated. Thanks.
Melee

[Bruce Hooke]

Welcome to the forum!

Is this boat going to be built largely of plywood or largley of solid wood? This distinction will make a significant difference in what products will work well for "sealing stuff up." It sounds to me like you are planning to build the boat using traditional methods and thus that plywood will not be a significant part of the hull structure, but I just want to make sure.

If this is to be a traditionally constructed boat then epoxy would be out of place anyway and there would not really be a good role for it even if price were not an issue. You don't really need to put anything between the planks and the frames -- after all, you are not trying to keep water from getting from one side of the frame to the other. On the outside of the boat, once you have caulked the seams, I don't really see what "black petroleum tar" gains you over a decent grade of hardware store paint.

[Bob Smalser]

Several years ago now on a Wednesday I had a sub who was doing work required for a wetlands permit tell me he was gonna charge me 600 bucks extra for the job to put their company's boat on the main pond for a week beginning the following Monday.

I told him there was no need, that I already had a sound work boat out there. I lied....but a small pile of 4/4 and 5/4 #2 rough cedar fencing, a tub of galvanized nails and 23 working hours later I had John Gardner's 14' punt...perfect for hauling flitches and lumber...on that pond.

It's the punt on he left:

http://pic3.picturetrail.com/VOL12/1104763/2595357/41447346.jpg

No caulking seams, and the boards were jointed by hand as I didn't have shop access at the time. Planked lengthwise without steaming using overlong boards and trimming after fastening. Henry's Roofing Cement in caulk tubes and some leftover common acrylic caulk between all the planks and faying surfaces. Outside battens over all seams.

Linseed/turps/pine tar finish originally topsides and hot Henry's tar on the bottom. Less than a hundred bucks worth of material.

Stayed in the water year round and didn't leak, as I'd let it fill with rain water between use, but when it was time to pull it out for prettying up last year during a dry summer, I routed caulking seams using an old ground sawblade in the circular saw and caulked with cotton....again payed with tar followed by navy surplus paint over the reused battens this time.

I also added some frames and another thwart, inwales and knees to Garner's design while it was out...weight isn't an issue with these work boats that only leave the water during heavy ice, and the seams at the drier ends had been opening up some under heavy loads of wet cedar.

Longevity? It'll outlast me up here in the cold.

When it's time for it to die, I hope one of my boys sinks it in the pond next to the original homesteader's boat from the 1940's that's down there half buried in silt. We pulled the oarlocks off that boat to use in this one...and those old galvanized fastenings are still sound.

[ 10-20-2004, 01:13 AM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[maa. melee]

Hey! Bob, I've seen your punt somewhere else before...cant remember where. Very nice. For some reason I'm drawn to such rugged tank-like work boats. Their utilitarian charm and whethered look makes me love every one I see. And to answer your question I'm opting to build her out of solid woods with only some plywood for a center console and engine housing. I hope some off-the-shelf pine, poplar, and oak will do the job. The plan I'm using is the Bolger 18' Work Skiff.

Work Skiff 18' (http://www.instantboats.com/skiff18.htm)

She has plumb sides, a plumb stem, and a square transom. All characteristics of an easily built boat with one job: to work. I tended to haul more than my last boat could take when I was clamming and fishing. Many have gave me that smirking, raised eyebrow kind of look when I described the work skiff. Some would say it was ugly....but not to me. She's beautiful in my eyes and I'm sure to only grow more fond of this panzer-like tub. =D Thanks for the help.
Melee

[ 10-21-2004, 12:46 AM: Message edited by: maa. melee ]

[Bob Smalser]

Had an uncle that used to build similar smaller clamming skiffs on request outta #2 pine or cedar sides and pine bottom and galvanized boat nails.

You familiar with how to drive-fit that crossplanked bottom? Easy, fast and effective for boats that live in the water.

[Kev Smyth]

OK, fellow boaters/economists- $600 minus say $85 for materials leaves $515 divided by 23 "work hours" makes it $22.39/hour. Ok, OK, we forgot the tax impact- Bob's self-employed, so that would make it equal to a gross of about $38/hour, or $75,000 a year if ya don't take vacations, or $110,00/year if ya work like most self employed people do. tongue.gif

But, all that aside, I'll bet Bob really didn't build it to save any money- he was just dying to build a boat! ;) :D This IS the WBF, and your wife's not here, so... ya don't have to justify anything. :cool:

Sorry guys, couldn't help myself- I've never had a wooden boat project that made any kind of economic sense, so I just wanted to see, if only vicariously, what it might be like to actually be able to prove this hobby made sense... :cool: ;)

[wolfietuk]

Does anyone in your area have a portable saw mill and a chainsaw. It may be practical to mill your own lumber. Pine fir or oak I donot know what your local species are. If someone is clearing a field or building a house a lot of good timber is sometimes there for the taking. Stay away from most poplar species, They have little rot resistance.

Rick

[Bob Smalser]

So true, Kev...but you are assuming that in that particular week, I had a job going on and income coming in.

Wasn't the case at the time and I was operating on credit....I needed that danged permit, first. ;)

[maa. melee]

Bob, by 'drive fit the bottom' you mean setting the bottom planks port to starboard nailed/screwed to the chines and center stringer? The way I was taught to set those was to tack every other plank and leave a slight tapered space or a wedge-shaped space for a respective wedge-shaped bottom plank if you will. Then go back and set the remaining tapered planks with a slight tap on the end grain to draw the bottom tight. This will most definately be done if I don't end up using white (or red) oak tongue and grove hardwood flooring. By far, planking the bottom is what I look forward to most! Will off-the-shelf hot dipped galvanized screws or nail from a local supplier work fine?....or do I need fasteners specifically designed for boats? (I plan to countersink and bung the nail/screw holes.)
To answer your question wolfietuk, Boston isn't know for it rolling fields and thick woods so it'll be hard if not impossible to find good logs to mill myself (for cheap) smile.gif . And yes, I can easily whip up a very sturdy verticle/horizontal mill from an extra long band saw blade or chain saw (as a machinist, its the woodworking that slows me down, not the tools or how to make/buy them :D ).
So poplar is a no go? How's yellow pine hold up?
Thanks. Melee