Audax: AGH!! She's drying up!!

[Ralph M Bohm]

Hello all,

Last October, Audax, a 50-year old, 34' sloop was hauled out of the Chesapeake Bay, or more accurately, Back River in Essex, MD.

This past week, I had the chance to go down to Essex, MD to see her again. What I saw astonished me! I know most of you would have expected it, but I am still new to this game.
Gaps as large as 1/4 inch and anywhere from 6 to 10 feet in length appeared along every 3 or 4 planks, in the hull. This hull is strip planked with 7/8" white cedar, edge nailed with monel nails and glued. The ribs are of white oak and floors and keel are Honduras mahogany.

Now, people say "don't worry, she'll swell back up once you hang her in the water in the slings for a day or so".

But here's my dilemma, or so I am presuming:
I am planning on replacing and/or sistering many ribs in her, particularly the 6 in a row in each side of the cockpit.

So here are the questions:

1) If I re-fasten these dried up and shrunken old planks to these new ribs, how will these planks be allowed to swell back in place once back in the water?
Won't the new fastenings into the new sturdy ribs actually KEEP the planking from swelling completely?

2) Could I somehow, wet down the hull for a few days, causing them to take on the more "swelled" shape that they will have when immersed in their element, before re-fastening to the new ribs?

3) Or...could I fasten this dried-out old planking to the new ribs, and then apply some sort of penetrating resin to fill not only the would cellulose, but also the space between to make a hard, new hull?

This last question would, I suppose, require my purchasing of at least 2 very expensive types of material:
one would be the material I've been hearing about which saturates the existing wood and strengthens it also stopping any dry rot.
The other would be a thicker material which would fill the big gaps between the planks and also bond with the exiting wood and afor-mentioned material.

This is a long, and drawn out message but I am trying to be as clear as possible.

Thank you kindly for reading and replying

Ralph M Bohm/N5WPG
Orono, Maine 04473-0562
S/V Audax (in restoration)
http://www.geocities.com/audax_sailboat/construction.html

[Scott Rosen]

I think the solution is to launch her, keeping her in the slings until she takes up. Then haul and quickly do the framing work and relaunch. You may have to store the boat wet year-round except for a quick annual haulout.

[Ralph M Bohm]

Ouch! That might cost!

Don't know if I can get them at the marina to do that for me.

However, I will most certainly look into that possibility.
what if I were to hose her down for a few hours in the morning and afternoon?
I am planning on spending about a month after my classes here in Maine. I will be camped out next to her and work on here throughout the time I am there.

[R.I.Singer30]

I too am new to this game . While discussing the same type of future for my boat(minus new planking), a friend suggested placing a garden type sprinkler(s) around the hull and let them run for some time.I added maybe one of those weeping hoses. I don't know if this is proper or accepted. Let us know what worked for you.

[High C]

I doubt if you can do any good with hoses, etc. My old 1935 Matthews with mahagony planking once had to stay in the slings for 3 days after a 2 month long haulout. The yard should understand that this is the only way to get your boat out of there. They must've seen this before.
Good Luck smile.gif

[Concordia..41]

At his seminar at the WBS last year, Giffy Full suggested adding moisture to a dried out hull before launching by draping plastic sheeting from the toe rails to the ground and placing a couple of humidifiers underneath the boat for a couple of days.

[Rocky]

If my boat were that open I'd run a sprinkler in it til the bilge pump went on, and stay close to shore. tongue.gif

[ 03-23-2003, 08:16 AM: Message edited by: Rocky ]

[Dave Hadfield]

Hey, I've dealt with this problem for the last 2 springs with complete success.

I take long (5ft) sections of shop towel and fold them lengthways. Then I lay them in between the frames (ribs) from the bilge up to the waterline, so that they sit flat on the planks. Then I wet them out and keep them wet by a light spray from a hose once a day.

This keeps moisture right against the wood and causes it to swell up. It really works. It takes about a week.

Last year and the year before I could have gone straight to my slip, though I hung overnight to be cautious and sure. The year before that it was a 3-day ordeal of rushing water.

[Ralph M Bohm]

Wow! Thanks for the replies!
A lot of great ideas! I feel a bit better already!

So, I can wet the hull down before fastening the planks to the ribs also, and in fact, I could locally wet the cockpit down since the cockpit is where I will be replacing ribs. This could help by doing that portion of the boat only, I might be able to get her back into the shape she'll take back on when in the water.

[ 03-23-2003, 03:38 AM: Message edited by: Ralph M Bohm ]