Sam Desmet
01-09-2006, 05:57 PM
Hi there,
My name is Sam Desmet, I'm 25 years old, and for the last four years I've been privileged to work in a lively and industrious shop dedicated to the restoration and construction of 14/16' wooden rowboats.
We're located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, on the shores of Lake Superior. The shop services a 'fleet' of some sixty 16' livery boats, all of different ages and using various forms of construction. We also service a number of privately held craft ranging from vintage Old Towns and Ruston’s to modern Kevlar canoes.
The story of our shop is a long one, and I would be happy to go into more detail at a later time. Suffice it to say that the man who taught me the craft has just quit and moved out to the East Coast, leaving me in charge of most everything. If he was the brain surgeon, I'm the paramedic...
I just wanted to say hello to everyone who frequents this site, and make myself available for input, as well as pick the brains of those more experienced than myself.
In keeping with my introduction, I'd like to explain some of what I have cooking in the shop as of now.
-There were two bare 16' strip planked hulls set on horse’s bottom side up, which have since been faired out and re-glassed (12oz fabric w/ West System resin). New stems, keels, and skegs all of White Oak were fitted, bedded w/ 5200 (one was SikaFlex), and fastened with #10 Silica Bronze flat heads. White Oak outwales and transon braces were next, and then everything was treated with some of that "Decks Olja" stuff.
I'm on to the interior work of both projects now, and as usual there was a mess to begin with. (Remember, these boats get used by a LOT of different people, and are not treated 'gently) New White Oak seat rails replaced the clunky old blocks, and the various screw holes in the ribs were patched and faired out w/ Quick Fair.
At some point both of these boats were slathered in Epoxy, and whoever did it must have been in a hurry. The runs are everywhere, and are a PITA to fair out. I don't know how well the matte varnish I'm going to use will bond to the epoxy, but we'll find out...
Anyways, in light of the fact that these boats are almost 50 years old, and have had some less than cosmetically appealing repair work done (Think microlight used to excess), I have decided to paint the interiors up to the seat rails.
I'm using Epiphanes Monourathane in a good old boat grey, applied over their Werdol primer. This seems to have great gap filling and self smoothing characteristics. All in all I'm impressed w/ how easy to work with this paint has been. I tried some WR-LPU (system three) topside paint in a light grey on another project, mixed with some of that white flour sand, and it gave a nifty matte/non-skid finish that I really like. We'll have to see which one holds up longer in the real world.
I could go on, there are three other boats in the shop, but the repairs will be minor and then refinishing...
I'm rambling... Take care all, questions are welcome, I'll be around.
:D
My name is Sam Desmet, I'm 25 years old, and for the last four years I've been privileged to work in a lively and industrious shop dedicated to the restoration and construction of 14/16' wooden rowboats.
We're located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, on the shores of Lake Superior. The shop services a 'fleet' of some sixty 16' livery boats, all of different ages and using various forms of construction. We also service a number of privately held craft ranging from vintage Old Towns and Ruston’s to modern Kevlar canoes.
The story of our shop is a long one, and I would be happy to go into more detail at a later time. Suffice it to say that the man who taught me the craft has just quit and moved out to the East Coast, leaving me in charge of most everything. If he was the brain surgeon, I'm the paramedic...
I just wanted to say hello to everyone who frequents this site, and make myself available for input, as well as pick the brains of those more experienced than myself.
In keeping with my introduction, I'd like to explain some of what I have cooking in the shop as of now.
-There were two bare 16' strip planked hulls set on horse’s bottom side up, which have since been faired out and re-glassed (12oz fabric w/ West System resin). New stems, keels, and skegs all of White Oak were fitted, bedded w/ 5200 (one was SikaFlex), and fastened with #10 Silica Bronze flat heads. White Oak outwales and transon braces were next, and then everything was treated with some of that "Decks Olja" stuff.
I'm on to the interior work of both projects now, and as usual there was a mess to begin with. (Remember, these boats get used by a LOT of different people, and are not treated 'gently) New White Oak seat rails replaced the clunky old blocks, and the various screw holes in the ribs were patched and faired out w/ Quick Fair.
At some point both of these boats were slathered in Epoxy, and whoever did it must have been in a hurry. The runs are everywhere, and are a PITA to fair out. I don't know how well the matte varnish I'm going to use will bond to the epoxy, but we'll find out...
Anyways, in light of the fact that these boats are almost 50 years old, and have had some less than cosmetically appealing repair work done (Think microlight used to excess), I have decided to paint the interiors up to the seat rails.
I'm using Epiphanes Monourathane in a good old boat grey, applied over their Werdol primer. This seems to have great gap filling and self smoothing characteristics. All in all I'm impressed w/ how easy to work with this paint has been. I tried some WR-LPU (system three) topside paint in a light grey on another project, mixed with some of that white flour sand, and it gave a nifty matte/non-skid finish that I really like. We'll have to see which one holds up longer in the real world.
I could go on, there are three other boats in the shop, but the repairs will be minor and then refinishing...
I'm rambling... Take care all, questions are welcome, I'll be around.
:D