Removing lapstrake planking

[My_boat_leaks]

My boat doesnt leak - it just sinks,fast.
My old clinker built 15 footer slipped her mooring and ended up badly damaged on rocks!
After staring hard at her for the past six months I,ve decided to start repairs. I reckon I'll need to replace at least three planks and check all the copper fastenings for tightness.
Is there an efficient way of removing old planking? Someone suggested I slip an old hack saw blade in between the lands and saw through the copper nails. Sounds easy but it isnt - havent managed to cut one in the last 2 hours. The hack saw blade just wont go up between the boards. I,ve thought about trying to drill the fastenings out or even attacking them with a cold chisel but am wary.
How about grinding off the rove?
I,m also trying to figure out whether to remove whole planks or just the damaged bits and then attempt to scarf in a replacement, but how do you prepare a scarf joint on the piece of plank in situ?
Any advice to a complete and utter novice would be very welcome.
Or should I just let the wife turn it into a big plant pot?

[Paul Scheuer]

Since you're going to lose the planking in the damaged areas, why not cut around the fastenings with a bung cutter or similar tool, then nip the heads and drive the rivets inboard through the ribs ? (Easy for me to say). How are the ribs, by the way ? Got any pics ?

[Mr. Know It All]

What kind of boat? Is it constructed like a Lyman?
A Lyman is a plywood lapstrake over oak frames. The screws are bronze and screwed through the laps into the frame(or ribs as they're called). Between the screws there are two clinch nails(copper nails with the tip bent over on the inside) holding the planks together. Oh wait...you mentioned roves so yours is different. The hacksaw method of cutting fasteners is like anything on a woodenboat......it gets easier with time and patience. A sharp chisel might come in handy.
Good to see we have another Scotchmen with a wooden boat on the forum. Welcome. smile.gif Tell us more about your boat.
Peace----> Kevin in Ohio

P.S. My Lyman looked worse than this one when I started on it and now it looks only sightly better but it floats.

http://lymanboat.com/53ISL.jpg

[ 03-16-2003, 01:17 PM: Message edited by: Mr. Know It All ]

[HS]

I haven't had to replace any planks (yet) but in removing a bunch of frames I found that the easiest way to remove the nails was to take the rove off with an angle grinder. Whilst they were still hot I drove the nail through using a pin punch. The heat softened the paint and fairing compound allowing the head of the nail to exit the plank cleanly.

I used a thin cutoff blade in the grinder as it allowed more precise positioning.

Hans

[My_boat_leaks]

I like the idea of an angle grinder - just bought one on Ebay so I'll have a go once it arrives.
Still not sure whether to remove whole planks or just the knackered bits and attempt a scarf joint. Probably the first option as she's only 15'
The boat is is an open work boat with a raked transom. Pine on oak ribs with copper rove fastenings. She's an elderly lady - at least fifty years and originally would have been rigged with a simple sail set up but like every other is now equipped with an outboard. Sad that it has only taken one generation to lose the craft of sail.
I,d just spent an entire two weeks fixing her up, taking it right down to the bare wood and repainting and replacing 4 ribs when disaster struck and she slipped her mooring in a storm and the bottom was stove in. God did I feel sick. Mind you, I was in good company - a US submarine managed to run aground the same night.
By the way, Scotch is the drink - it's Scotsman. Not really important as I'm Irish anyway.
Thanks for the advice - really appreciate it. The photo of the lynman was intersting too

[JimConlin]

It's an expensive solution, but i think that a Fein Multimaster detail sander with a flush-cut saw blade would cut the fastenings and luting with minimal damage.