New at this

[radman]

Hi I am new to this forum and new to the world of wood boat repair. I picked up a 1962
18' chris-craft sea skiff and could use a lot of info. on makeing it sea warty. The boat has
been stored up side down out in the weather for many years, the first thing I plan to do is
the bottom. It is plywood lapstreake with screws to the bows on the inside and nails between
the screws, the screws seem to be ok but most of the nails have poped loose. Do I replace
the nails with screws? The wood is weathered but I didn't see any rot, what is the best
caulking and paint to use, or is fiberglass the answer. Since this is my first project I am not
looking to put it in show condition, just something to enjoy in fresh and salt water. As this
project continues I will have many more questions. Any help will be of great value, thanks
in advance.
Curt

[thechemist]

Hi, Curt

You will find a great deal of wisdom, experience, advice and *other* things here.

Better things for better living through chemistry......

Be very careful when venturing into Miscellaneous, for there be Tygers , Wyverns and Dragonnes in yonder country.

[Jack Baker]

Curt,
Look at the books in the WB Store, your question requires more than a few paragraph response. You may want to use the search functions in this forum to look for threads that cover similar topic(s). There is a lot of expertise available in the forum, but much of it is already available by reading existing posts/archives.

[Hedzer]

Burn the wretched thing. It looks if you have bought a looser. Dont be like us. Dont spend all your money at something that propelles you at minimal speed and great worries to somewere you dont wont to go in the first place.

Too late i guess.

Welcome to the world of boating. With a great deal of money, a set of powertools you dont know the exestence of (yet) and a lot of hard labour, elbow greese and stamina, you will put up the most perfect boat a human can ever imagine.

Keep a lookout for the old-salts and listen to what they have to say and you will be all-right.

Good-luck

[radman]

Thanks for the info. I have spent some time looking through the archives( lots of information out
there) Plan to spend more time there. Signed up for a subscription to WB and ordered some
books, so I am on my way. I also like to build custom cars and have two started one in NY and
one in FL, so between them and this boat project my plate is full. Thanks again Curt

[Mr. Know It All]

Read as much as you can on Lapstrake construction. Chris Craft didn't make a whole lot of Lapstrake (or clinker built) constructed boats. Lyman Boatworks of Sandusky Ohio did. The screws go through the planking into the oak frames or ribs. The nails just hold the planking together between the ribs. On Lymans the nails are called "Clinch nails" and they're made of copper. The nails you set with a hammer and punch from the outside with someone else with a block of steel on the inside bending the tip of the nail over. You might be able to re-clinch the existing nails and some people use rivits to replace them. I also am restoring a 60's lapstrake outboard runabout and will look forward to hearing about your project. Welcome to the forum and Best of luck.
Peace----> Kevin in Ohio

[Alan D. Hyde]

radman, you can get the original plans, shop drawings, owners' manuals--- pretty much everything along these lines--- from the Mariners' Museum Chris Craft Collection.

www.mariner.org (http://www.mariner.org)

Jerry Conrad is the Curator, and Katie is his assistant. Both are helpful.

The strakes on your boat are made of fir marine plywood, and originally were screwed to the white oak ribs and riveted between. The goop between the strakes adds tremendously to the strength of the boat, and was called (in those days) Chris-Craft seam sealer or Thiokol. It's about the same thing as 3M 5200 compound--- a strong and flexible sealer and adhesive.

Good luck with your project. It's an excellent design, with a good reputation in rough water.

Alan

[ 08-27-2002, 10:48 AM: Message edited by: Alan D. Hyde ]

[brian.cunningham]

There are several Chris Craft clubs around try to find one in your area. Your bound to get a lot of info.

Best of luck

[radman]

Just got the boat home yesterday and started to get supplies today, looking
for a sourse for 1 1/4' copper clinch nails only tried one place so far and that
was jamestown distributors they didn't have them but asked me to call back
tomorrow for other options. thanks Curt

[Mr. Know It All]

This place might have copper nails if Jamestown Dist. is out.-----> http://www.babbittsteam.com/standard.htm
Some of the local boatshops and marinas sell them around here and they cost an arm and a leg. If ya find them cheap buy a bunch. Don't forget to take pictures of your boat before you start taking her apart. It will really help when you start to put her back together months or years from now. LABEL EVERYTHING and take and write down measurements (examples...seat locations, cable steering brackets,etc.) Take your time and think it out. It will be time well spent and will save you time in the long run. If I could start my project over I would do many things different especially in the very begining. Hindsight is 20-20.
Hang in there.
Peace---> Kevin in Ohio

[radman]

I ordered copper nails and washers and will rivet the hull, pulled up the
floor boards, got rid of all the nests (mouse,bee,ect.). The builge looks
ok. Would it be a good idea to put some 5200 in the nail holes before
inserting the nail? Thanks Curt

[radman]

I ordered copper nails and washers and will rivet the hull, pulled up the
floor boards, got rid of all the nests (mouse,bee,ect.). The builge looks
ok. Would it be a good idea to put some 5200 in the nail holes before
inserting the nail? Thanks Curt

[Allen Foote]

No.

[Mr. Know It All]

The fasteners (screws & nails) shouldn't need any glue at all. The only place I might use 3M-5200 would be between the planking where they overlap. Even there is questionable because I would never get them apart. 5200 is forever, the wood fails before the glue does. Keep that in mind. A lapstrake boat moves and flexes and some people use 5200 to seal the outside seam and make it waterproof. For that use 5200 is OK because it flexes and doesn't crack and split like some other things I've seen used. Hang in there and keep reading.
Peace---> Kevin in Ohio