I have found a wooden power boat (possibly a Chris craft),to purchase for very little money. But its been sitting unprotected in Texas sunshine for 10+ years. Many of the wood screws have backed out of their plank holes. All the wood is drier than anything I've every seen. Almost petrified. This is my drawback on starting to refurbish it. Will wood this dry be able to salvages to keep restoration quality. Other wise the entire hull & deck must go. Any ideas or references wood be helpful.
Senior Member
Alberto,
Ordinarily a Cris-Craft will hold its value well enough to make restoration worth while. From the sound of it, this boat won't. While the wood may actually be sound, I wouldn't count on it. In addition all of the boat's various systems such as the engine, transmission, wiring and instrumentation are no doubt worthless. After ten years of neglect, even a properly winterized/mothballed engine would require a full overhaul and somehow I seriously doubt this was done. In addition, the boat has what we call 'nail sickness' (i.e. the nails are backing out). This is NOT a good sign at all.
The fact is that the amount of effort you would be putting into even a salvageable boat would probably exceed the effort required to build your own boat from scratch. Besides, buying a boat in good condition will still give you PLENTY of oportunities for repair, restoration and what ever else you want to try your hand at.
There is an old saying: It is better to pass up a good deal than to not pass up a bad deal.
I seriously recommend you pass on this one and keep looking amigo.
Senior Member
I have had success swelling dried out wood by wetting it with ethylene glycol auto antifreeze. The NC Maritime Museum also used glycol treatment to stabilize a colonial era ferry flat. This is not PEG, but just ethylene glycol.
It absorbs rapidly into wood and then does not desorb easily. It will also absorb water strongly as I found out when I put out an open container to measure evaporation rate and it increased in weight by 50%.
Ed Harrow wants some of those screws that back themselves out!!!!
Senior Member #3500
As for the screws backing out, are they really? It may be that the wood has dried out so much that what seems like a loose screw now, may be a tight screw with some moisture in the wood.
Make a deal with the owner that you can get it for a couple of weeks to start to see what all of its problems are. Start running a sprinkler over it, maybe some linseed oil, or ethylene glycol, and see what happens. If the boat starts to swell up and some back to life, decide if it is a project that you really want. If things look worse over a week or two send it back.
Good Luck. Often what seems like a cheap boat is the worse deal.
Noah
Senior Member
Alberto,
What size is it? If it is over, let's say, 20 feet long ... forget it (from a time/cost point of view ... unless of course, you know exactly what you're getting in to. As with almost any restoration, you will never get anywhere close to NOT being in the red- If that is even a concern.
As mentioned, an older boat in "good" condition will give you literally months or years of things to do to make it perfect. Then you start over again ... and again.
Outside 10+ years in ANY climate is something I definitely walk away from. I hate to see an old Chris die ... as I own one myself; however, sometimes it is the smart and humane thing to do.
If you want an old Chris (whatever size and make) they are typically available somewhere in this great country at any given time.
Or, get it, do the really hard and expensive stuff, then lose interest. Then, I'll by it from you for not much more than you paid for itSeriously, I see that a lot in my neck of the water.
Find something a little closer to usable- your wallet, your hands and back, and your family will thank you.
Brad
Senior Member
I don't know where Alberto is located in Texas, but I do know about dried-out wood...I've lived here in Arizona (arid-zona, hehe!) for over twenty years, and let me tell you, there ain't enough ethylene glycol or linseed oil in the world that will "bring back" some of the wood I've seen, and old boats too...the desert is littered with old Chrissys that are fire wood.
There are at least two 40-something foot ones here in town...they can't even get anyone to cut them up and haul them away. Alberto's comments about 'petrified' make me think he's looking at the same thing. The wood out here reaches a certain point where it seems to change to some other substance, and it ain't gonna swell up again. It turns hard as the hinges of hell, and splits like crazy if you try to nail or screw. Burns great, but tough to even cut up.
You guys that live near the coasts can't imagine what ten or twenty years of 110 degree temps and 10% humidity do to wood. Good place to build 'em tho...they swell like crazy when they see water!
[This message has been edited by Mike Keers (edited 07-16-2001).]
Just to let you know I have checked with a local woodworker/ hobby boat restorer about these screws backing out. He didn't beleave it until he saw them. Jack, beleaves this boat was so unattended and uncared for that the wood weathered, expanded and contracted over more the 10 years. The wood accurally shrank from around these srews. He easly flicked them out with his finger. Any srew longer than 1 1/4" need a turn or two and slipped out with out a problem. Jack's advice was save the trailor, Bar-B-Q the boat.
Originally posted by Phil Young:
Ed Harrow wants some of those screws that back themselves out!!!!
A friend looked at this boat on my second trip and couldn't beleave it.Jack beleaves the wood arround the screws actually shrank. We may still buy this boat to save the trailer and deep six the kindling wood in the shape of a boat.
Thank you for your in put.
Originally posted by PugetSound:
Alberto,
Ordinarily a Cris-Craft will hold its value well enough to make restoration worth while. From the sound of it, this boat won't. While the wood may actually be sound, I wouldn't count on it. In addition all of the boat's various systems such as the engine, transmission, wiring and instrumentation are no doubt worthless. After ten years of neglect, even a properly winterized/mothballed engine would require a full overhaul and somehow I seriously doubt this was done. In addition, the boat has what we call 'nail sickness' (i.e. the nails are backing out). This is NOT a good sign at all.
The fact is that the amount of effort you would be putting into even a salvageable boat would probably exceed the effort required to build your own boat from scratch. Besides, buying a boat in good condition will still give you PLENTY of oportunities for repair, restoration and what ever else you want to try your hand at.
There is an old saying: It is better to pass up a good deal than to not pass up a bad deal.
I seriously recommend you pass on this one and keep looking amigo.
[This message has been edited by Alberto (edited 07-18-2001).]
Ask doc if you can borrow some of his matches.
Dasboat
Senior Member
Isn't there a seafood restaurant around that you could dump it in front of,then fill it with dirt and plant some cactus in it? Then it'll be enjoyed by all. Seems to work around here!
Along the lines of what JMAC said - Too bad you're not up here in CT. Maybe Defender would give you some supplies in trade. An old Chris in any state of disrepair would sure beat the plasti-boat planter the've got out front
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