A little keel work in progress

[Todd D]

Today I finally decided to "just do it" and took the saw to the keel of my 1936 Nunes Brother cruiser. The pictures below tell the tale.


Assembling the tools
http://www.todddunnmicroyachts.com/tortuga/Keel_work-2a.JPG

An hour later
http://www.todddunnmicroyachts.com/tortuga/keel_work-3.jpg

The boat minus the bad bit of keel

http://www.todddunnmicroyachts.com/tortuga/keel_work-4.jpg

I have documented this project at on my web page: http://www.todddunnmicroyachts.com/tortuga/keel_work.html

[Thorne]

WOW! Quite a project.

Best of luck.

[Woxbox]

And don't you feel better already?

[Lew Barrett]

I'd be interested in more details regarding your boat, Todd.

[Todd D]

Pretty much everything I know about it is on the various pages at: http://www.todddunnmicroyachts.com/tortuga/rebuilding_tortuga.html
There are quite a few pictures at those links.


Here is a short summary. The boat is a 32' raised deck cruiser built by Nunes Brothers in Sausalito in 1936. The hull is oak framed with douglas fir planking. Thge boat was originally fastened with iron boat nails. In '95 the entire boat was refastened with bronze below the waterline and stainless steel above the waterline. When I bought it, the boat had a 1952 vintage Chrysler Crown M47 flathead six engine. That engine was installed sometime in the 80s as a replacement for the original engine. I do not know what the original engine was.

In the mid-90s the boat had a major rebuild that included sistering many of the frames under the cockpit platform. At that time they didn't sister the frames under the engine - the sisters came down from the gunwale and stopped just below the turn of the bilge. In addition to sistering the aft frames, most of the planking on the aft half of the boat was replaced and the transom was rebuilt. Finally, the cabin top forward was redone with dynel set in epoxy. The house top was canvas when I got it. In addition, the 90s refit included installation of two new aluminum 45 gal fuel tanks, new prop shaft, shaft log and stuffing box and a new stuffing box for the rudder.

Since I have had the boat (I bought is in Sept. 2007), I have put a new canvas top on the cabin house. Removed the old engine, laminated in new frames under the engine, installed new floors under the engine and also put in new engine beds. I will replace the old gas engine with a small diesel (Westerbeke 44 or 55).

[Todd D]

Today I finished making up the first of five pieces of douglas fir that will be laminated together to make up the new piece of the keel. I will screw and glue the laminate together. I expect to be ready to start shaping it and carving in the plank rabbets by Thursday.

http://www.todddunnmicroyachts.com/tortuga/keel_work-6.jpg