double hull replacement

[kylakefreak]

I have just purchased a 1969 42' Owens Aruba. The back half of the bottom hull is needing replaced. I want to do this work myself, however I know next to nothing about hull replacement. Can anyone point me in the right direction for a resource to accomplish this task. I'm hoping for a resource that can walk me through, step by step, in replacing a double hull. Thanks.

[TimothyB]

Wooden Boat Renovation (http://www.woodenboatstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=300-298) is the Bible on good, inexpensive and effective old boat fixin'.

These two might help as well:

Frame, Stem & Keel Repair (http://www.woodenboatstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=325-105)

Planking & Fastening (http://www.woodenboatstore.com/prodinfo.asp?number=325-106)

You haven't mentioned any details or provided any pictures, so giving you more advice than this is tough... but I'm guessing you'll need to do a fair amount of structural work as well as replanking, if the planking is bad.

Read those two books, take some pictures, and write down some details (type of planking, type of framing, etc etc) and I'm certain a bevy of people here will chime in. :)

[TimothyB]

Here is a sister ship:

http://i3.ebayimg.com/02/i/05/03/2b/eb_12_b.JPG

Is yours all mahagony as well?

[Katherine]

Well, if your Aruba is built similar to my Flagship, it should just unscrew, but there's a lot of screws. Also, Owens had a tendency to screw the double planking together from the inside out and then just cut off the ends of the screws on the out side. Basically you can read the books listed above, find a good surveyor to tell you what the real story is, and prepare to get dirty.

[Nicholas Carey]

I'm assuming you're talking about a double-planked hull, with an inner layer of planking fastened to the outside of the frames, and an outer layer of planking fastened outboard of that.

There two general types of double-planking:

fore-and-aft. In this case, the inner planking runs fore-and-aft and the outer layer, also fore and aft is offset by about half the plank width. To get to any inner plank with this planking style should just require the removal of two outer planks.

double-diagonal. In this case, the inner planks run diagonal, "on the bias" as it were, with the outer planking running fore-and-aft. This is a considerably stronger construction since it is less susceptible to racking -- the triangulation prevents it. However, getting at any inner plank [theoretically] requires the removal of all outer planks on that side.

In either case, it should just be a matter of removing [lots of] screws. Usually the screws are countersunk and then plugged, so to remove the screws you'll need to find the plugs so they can be removed.

Get out your trusty propane torch w/spread or heat gun and a good scraper and work up the outside of the hull along each frame line. Heat the paint 'til it blisters and scrape it off to expose the plugs. The process has been covered on these pages a number times, so I won't go into any detail here. You can also use a heat gun but it's significantly slower (and the torch works very well once you get the hang of it -- just keep the torch moving ahead of the scraper.)

Once the plugs are exposed, they can be easily [usually, but..] removed. A quarter-inch chisel out to do it -- just drive it into the plug with the butt of your hand and give a little twist and the plug will likely pop right out (the traditional glue for setting plugs is varnish since the plugs would need to be pulled at some point in the hull's life.) The trick is to not butch up the edges of the countersink whilst you remove the plug.

Once the plugs are out, you should be able to [theoretically, at least] to simply unscrew the screws. But it all depends on what condition the fasteners are in. If they're iron, they may be too corroded to remove easily. If bronze, it's not uncommon for at least some of them to be somewhat gone -- the usual mode of failure is that the bronze will have turned somewhat pinkish and will be quite brittle.

Off course, if you're not simply refastening and are replacing lots of hull planking, you've got considerably more options for how to get the old planks off. Since you'll be spiling in new then, it doesn't matter quite so much if you destroy a plank in the process of removing it.

Also, when removing the planks, traditionally there was a layer of canvas bedded in paint or marine glue in between the inner layer of planking which may or may not hinder the removal of the outer layer of planking. That fabric may have disappeared over the years -- when/if you replank you should renew it.

[Gary E]

Originally posted by kylakefreak:
I have just purchased a 1969 42' Owens Aruba. The back half of the bottom hull is needing replaced. I want to do this work myself, however I know next to nothing about hull replacement. Can anyone point me in the right direction for a resource to accomplish this task. I'm hoping for a resource that can walk me through, step by step, in replacing a double hull. Thanks.If there was EVER a situation for a COMPETENT INSPECTION by a VERY KNOWLEDGABLE Owens guy, this is it...

Remove and replace 1/2 the bottom?

YIKES... I hope that's way over stated.

Good luck, something tells me your gona need it...

[Katherine]

If it's an Owens, then the screw plugs might not be plugs at all, but just a form of wood putty. It it's dry, it's pretty easy to pop out with a screw driver or pick. If you do use a torch, wear a high quality breather mask, the fumes may be toxic. Also, if you use a torch, go easy on the heat. If the boat still has canvas between the layers, it may be very dry and easliy lit on fire, don't ask me how I know. :rolleyes:

The typical planking for most Owens was inner layer at an angle, outer layer fore-aft.

If you contact the Owens Yacht Marque Club, they may be able to give you some more info.

One of the guys around here actually has his shop in the old Owens factory in Maryland. I think someone else around here has an Aruba as well. Nice family boat.

[Bob Adams]

Yep Katherine, that guy was me, I had the final assemply building which was 10,500 sq ft with two 25 ton cranes for launching for sea trials. I lost it 15 years ago, DO NOT GO THERE NOW, it is a part of the Sheltered Harbor Marina complex, owned by the man that ruined my life and rips off everyone he deals with.

On the Aruba another area you need to look at the forward starboard chine clamp. The inner planking is diagonal and direcets water from the salon entrence overboard drain, to the clamp, which then rots it. I had to de-plank 1/3 of an Aruba to replace it and the associated inner planking. And put a proper drain in that entrance well!

Added:
BTW, the Cutter shop, where Owens built it's sail boats, burned last week. Arson.

[ 10-04-2005, 09:31 AM: Message edited by: Bob Adams ]