Why Not A Workboat ?

[Woodonwater]

Some of you are aware that I am in the process of restoring 'Tamara', the 37' Seacrest workboat ketch designed by Sam Crocker, and built in Costa Mesa, CA. in 1942-7.

For those of you who care: an update.
For those of you who reply: a question.

Tamara has been out of the water for almost a month. We are rebuilding her stern framing and then her transom planking. I thought I was only putting on a new deck in the boatyard, but deep down I knew it was going to be more involved than that! I think there is a novel in here somewhere, but since then it has become a quest.

My main question is this:

Tamara has a workboat past. Her cabin sides, both inside and out, were originally painted although they are 1 1/2" thick Philipine mahogany bent as one 20" wide plank from the end of the coaming to the front of the cabin. One wonders whether such a peice of wood even exists today. Her bronze fiittings are slightly unrefined and her painted,utilitarian trim give her roots away. Tamara is a Workboat, but a Workboat with a Pedigree. Why isn't that worth restoring? At first I thought I should make this fine craft a "yacht" so as to enjoy her innate beauty and also guarantee the boat's future care. But it occurs to me that to restore her into the finest of 'workboats' is to restore her in the best possible way.

She is always a yacht.

After all, what makes for a yacht?

[mmd]

By all means, restore her to workboat appearance and specifications. It is true to her origins, makes for easier maintenance, and when the movie biz comes to town to shoot a period-piece film, you can rent her to the production company for a tidy sum.

Besides, some of us here think that, like old pick-up trucks, old working boats are pretty cool in their own right.

[Tom Hunter]

My boat has workboat heritage. I am constantly torn between the easier maintainance of workboat finish and the beauty of varnished wood.

Find a compromise that makes you happy. It's your boat, and it will look good whatever you do.

[erster]

You can surely have a converted work boat that allows the design to stand out complete with varnished trim without having a yacht finish and the maintainance of it. There are huge issues of shiny finish in older hulls and issues that come from using the boat alot and maintaining the glits.

I consider workboat and workboat finishes as dings, scratches, dull and chalking paints. COnsider something the next time you watch shows like "The deadliest Catch" or walk about areas that have workboats converted into yachts such as the northwest areas of Washington state. At least I have experienced this when lurking about. Many trawlers have window frames that show wood, yet the window trims do not have incredible amounts of shiny varnish on them.

Personally even with my reproduction hulls, I subscribe to the workboat finish, fairing the wood the best possible and applying satin paints for topcoats, or a blend of highgloss and satin finish to achieve a semi=gloss or enough smoothe surface that makes it easy to clean. When I also wish to have varnish woods, I build up with high gloss varnish and finish up with satin finish. Just make sure that any wood that you wish to finish highgloss, to spend additional time in the prepwork of the woods, more than the painted woods. You will also find that any painted woods that you wish to refinish clear again, that in most cases you will need to remove some of the actual woods since primers will have creeped into some of the grain, or has been my experience in most stripping of woods normally used for varnish finishes.

I have found Behrs or a Minwax satin finish to have incredible durability to both show and highlight the woods but not have to deal with a lot of issues of maintainance and hundreds of hours of prepwork so any highgloss does not look abnoxious on top of grainy or dinged woods on older hulls. Some boats just look better with the satin but clean finishes. Let the boat be the boat that it was intended to be and not something that appears to have been a weak attempt at a new reproduction model, as you will never be able to rub an ages hull enough and feel comfortable with the finished product as a standout hull in the new age of magazine boats.

Even in some my new hulls of vintage designs, I do not spray any finishes, but brush since I think this adds some patina and also makes it easier to deal with since I personally use my hulls for beaching and carrying lots of fishing gear on it, which has a tendancy to scratch the finishes.

[Hughman]

Ok, here's the question: Do you get joy from operating a boat; those days it's force 7 and you're surfing 15 footers, or working on a boat, getting the ooooh! nice old wood! remarks.

It's easy to answer "both", but most people lean towards one side of this issue.

The fact you bought a workboat argues for the operating side, but then, you're 'hands on' rebuilding, and jonesing for this hunk of mahogany....I think you got the builders ego to satisfy -praise from onlookers thing.

So, keep this boat painted, and build a drop dead gorgeous tender.

[Figment]

So, keep this boat painted, and build a drop dead gorgeous tender.

That's great advice.
Along similar lines, the exterior of the boat could remain entirely workmanlike, giving little or no clue to a fully tarted-up yachty interior.

[rbgarr]

A longtime local sailor and New England cruising authority, Roger Duncan, had both a Friendship sloop and a small schooner built and finished out in workboat finish and trim. They were both appropriate and beautiful. His books, 'Eastward' and 'Dorothy' describe his thinking, maintenance experience and show the results. He's an excellent writer also and would be happy to talk to you.

Boats that are built for workboat finish from their inception often have things that are hidden by paint that would look odd or unfortunate were they exposed by a bright varnished finish.

[mmd]

'tain't nuttin'wrong with workboat finish on an old workboat:

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d19/mmd_ns/Tancookschooner.jpg
... a Tancook schooner from the 1930's

[ron ll]

Obviously, I like "workboat" finishes as evidenced by "Snoose". However I think there is a slight bit of misconception as to how much work is saved in maintenence. A good paint job takes almost as much work as good varnish (I said almost :) ). I use water based house paint which doesn't have as much gloss as yacht enamel so it hides imperfections better. But even with that, this thing is still a bucketload of work to keep looking decent. I am amazed and impressed by the people who have acres of varnish to maintain.
http://www.ronlloyd.com/oddstuff/starbord.jpg

[JimD]

Workboat finish rules. Except when it comes to Rita :D

[Lew Barrett]

Paint is just as hard to apply as varnish, but doesn't require as many coats. Bright finishes can't be cheated, that is, you can't fill them with epoxy. Paint has more natural UV resistance as a rule. Beyond that, paint's just as hard as varnish to keep.

[Woodonwater]

Ron,

Snoose is a very fine craft. I would enjoy seeing more pictures of her.

I was planning to have made a full boat cover using Sunbrella material to give me some releif with the maintenance cycles. Not sure yet exactly what I am in for :)

James

[Gary E]

and jonesing

Ok... just what the he!! is THAT ???
somethiing that you guys in Maine do???

as for the boat...Keep it the way YOU want it...
who else matters?

[BETTY-B]

I was trying to find pictures on historicfishing.net, but the thing has been down awhile. The reason is that I had a friend(RIP) who worked on a 50 somthin' foot Hansen that they would all so proudly varnish and paint before going out. They varnished the anchor guard even! And they had a rivalry with another similar FV that they pretended didnt exist. By the time those two boats were ready to leave for AK, they looked like yachts... I love a well taken care of, classic work boat....
(incidently, the boat is the one you see in the background in the local (Seattle)Anthoney's home port restaurant commercials. Name withheld because I have no pic)

I think the answer is you can have both!

Ron,
Snoose is sure sweet lookin'. Have you seen a very similar one over at Metro dock? Where they keep Zodiac? I think I have a pic here somewhere... Ahh yes... This one:

Too bad it isnt ship shape....

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/IMG_0101.jpg

Un-converted hold...

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/IMG_0103.jpg

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d10/Bridgedeck/IMG_0102.jpg

DAN

[Woodonwater]

Dan,

What is your secret to being able to post large hi res pix to the forum???

James

[Hughman]

Ok... just what the he!! is THAT ???
somethiing that you guys in Maine do???


http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jonesing (http://http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jonesing)

[BETTY-B]

Dan,

What is your secret to being able to post large hi res pix to the forum???

James

James,

I dont have a clue. I just load them in Photobucket and click image so it's copied, then paste it in here. Is there anything different about mine as opposed to others posts?

DAN

[lvergara]

just testing if it works...http://www.vivierboats.com/Img/ebihen_18_port-blanc_360.jpg ...it does!! :D

[Gary E]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jonesing (http://http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jonesing)

That site does not come up on my pc

[nautiguy]

http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg5/normharris/Sans%20Souci/PortQuarter.jpg?t=1196913447
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg5/normharris/Sans%20Souci/PortBow.jpg?t=1196913513
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg5/normharris/Sans%20Souci/UnderSail.jpg?t=1196913582
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg5/normharris/Sans%20Souci/PortSideInterior.jpg?t=1196913635

Sans Souci was built in Newport California in 1943. We are still researching her early history, so there are pieces missing. She is a Block Island Cowhorn with a modified transom. (I think that the builder, William Bennett wanted to prove that he could build a front end and a back end.) She is a true work boat, painted in traditional colors and having a comfortable but spartan layout.

Previously we had a smaller boat with a lot of brightwork. When we owned that boat we were very proud of the wow factor and enjoyed(!) the work that went into maintaining the varnish. Now the wow factor has to do with the saltiness of the boat. More wow, less work.

Here are some photos, I hope. This is my first attempt at posting pics.