Mason Clipper

[Jay.]

Hi All

I would like to introduce myself and my new project, long time lurker in the background and wood butcher in the UK and now in New Zealand,

Let me introduce to you my Mason Clipper which has sadly seen better times, (28ft) soon to be the original 24ft CRC Strip planked formally one of the most saught after boats of the 60's and 70's now turned abandoned lobster boat





Above is the best example of a Mason Clipper built to take Prince Charles out on Lake Taupo a dormant Volcano




Here is sadly my Clipper and some fishermans idea of what a boat should look like not the same lines hay, the dog house has to go




Now heres my first concern of many, im used to carvel so strip plank is all new to me and my understanding is modest, those with a frifty eye will spot the stringer is bowed, it's not your eyes this hull if supprisingly flexable for a monocouque, I would like to get all the fibreglass off the outside and cold mould the bottom, my question is can I just diagonal the bottom to the waterline ? Im staying awake at night at the moment thinking of cold moulding letting the hull breath and how to replace the laminated timbers (frames), so I will leave it there for a moment as this project is going to be long term and I have not even started about the tunnel hull yet

All coments and advise is always apprecitaed and invite you all to share my journey and getting to know Mason

James

[Jay.]

Well that was easy, all the fibreglass just peeled off by hand in huge sheets, but oh the horror what to find but more fibreglass , it appears when the boat was built it was coated with probably a light weight 6oz cloth, now this stuff is stuck like well it is stuck well, bellow the waterline it will come off fairly easily taking the top 2mm of wood with it but the topsides are a different story

I am determined to get this off so I can get to all the fastenings but how ? I can get one of those e inferred heat guns for hire which I have herd is great for removing polyester and epoxy sheathing
http://www.rotdoctor.com/zine/rbremovefbg.html http://www.i-strip.co.nz/index.php?SES=2f3df2fbc8a4575fc20d407793e76275but I am very concerned about using this on a strip plank hull and not affecting the glue lines, the info in the Q&A's also suggests that using inferred brings the moisture and resins to the surface of the timber is this a good thing with Cedar ?

What do you guys think ?