Skookum Maru

[Pelirrojo]

Chris, you should absolutely cut the trim. It is also well worth tapping the house out and figuring out how far the rot extends too. Realistically you are likely going to have to pull the handrail to be able to tie the new plywood in. Typically for repairs like these I tap out the ply until I am into good wood and then use a skillsaw to cut free the bad wood. Well doing all this it is worth paying attention to make sure you don't accidentally lose track of the sheer in the house, in particular if your not careful you can add a hard spot where the new work ties into the old.

Nicholas

[cstevens]

Yes to cutting the bottom trim if you want to dig into the aft part of the pilot house. But before you do that, a look beyond the outer ply sheathing would be revealing. So cut a plug out of the ply below (and maybe, above) the aft pilot house windows. If any rot appears, you'll be able to see it. That knowledge will dictate your next move. You may have to keep going forward...

Jeff

I agree Jeff. I'm sure there will be more rot to be found but I'd like to keep this particular project contained to the aft cabin and any structure directly affected by the rotten beam shelf. I've tapped the rest of the aft cabin and found more soft wood on the starboard side, and I'm planning to tap the rest of the plywood as Nicholas suggests, but it's a slippery slope to start cutting holes in things. One thing that I hope will be in my favor is that the pilothouse structure is not a continuation of the aft cabin. The rotten aft cabin beam shelf ends just forward of the break. Which doesn't mean that the pilothouse is free from rot, just that any issues there might reasonably be tackled as a separate project. Fingers crossed.

Chris, you should absolutely cut the trim. It is also well worth tapping the house out and figuring out how far the rot extends too. Realistically you are likely going to have to pull the handrail to be able to tie the new plywood in. Typically for repairs like these I tap out the ply until I am into good wood and then use a skillsaw to cut free the bad wood. Well doing all this it is worth paying attention to make sure you don't accidentally lose track of the sheer in the house, in particular if your not careful you can add a hard spot where the new work ties into the old.

Nicholas

Yes, I am definitely going to tap the rest of the pilothouse. I've done part of it and as far as I can tell it's sound but I plan on a more thorough inspection the next time I'm down there. I am still thinking that it will be possible to make the repairs without removing the cabin top beams or losing the sheer line of the cabin but I'm planning to template everything before I take too much off just in case. And yes, ultimately I plan on pulling the handrails and recovering the cabin top entirely. My thought is to first remove and replace all the rotten wood, then replace the outer face of the cabin sides, then deal with the cabin top. I'm sure a professional would just open everything up and then rebuild from there but I'll be a lot more comfortable with things if I can keep the size of the holes I'm making in the boat to a minimum!

[cstevens]

I dug a bit further into the rotten cabin side today, starting with the window trim.





With the trim removed I was able to open things up more but I found very little joy in that effort.









The rot is well into the pilothouse corner post and continues up to the upper window trim molding. More digging was obviously needed.

(contd.)

[Rich Jones]

Sorry to hear of this grief.
Wishing you the best with repairs.

[cstevens]

Repeating the surgical operation on the upper molding let me explore further...







...revealing that the rot runs right up to the upper trim molding, and possibly all the way to the top of the cabin side.

It looks like the original cause of the problem is that the plywood that was used when she was built is not very rot resistant, and rot is starting where the joints in the plywood have allowed water into the end grain. From there it has progressed into the structure itself.

These problems are not entirely unexpected. The survey that we had done when we bought Skookum Maru called out a number of areas for further inspection, including all of the areas that I have dug into so far. The main question now is whether to stop opening things up at the corner of the pilothouse, or keep going. I think I know the answer but I'm not happy with the thought of putting that many holes into the boat at once. But it's not like she's never had major work done before. I can always look at this photo of the horn timber and transom rebuild and be glad that Paul did that job and not me.



But in any case, I think it's time to call in the professionals and come up with a plan to tackle all the rot in the cabin sides.

[cstevens]

Sorry to hear of this grief.
Wishing you the best with repairs.

Thanks Rich. I'll confess that seeing the extent of the problem, and knowing that this is only part of it, is not a great feeling! I have to keep reminding myself that it's better to know about the problem so that it can be fixed.

[Boatsbgood]

Bummer Chris! Not a good feeling at all. But, I've experimented with ignoring problems like that. Unsurprisingly, it didnt work. So you are doing what has to be done for the long term, which is the right thing to do. Hope the way forward becomes more clear as you explore and consult.
Brian

[Garret]

I've been watching your "progress" & have been sorry to see the results. I can relate, but miserable company does little to ease the pain...

Hope it can be sorted relatively quickly!

[Bruce Bateau]

Wow Chris- looks like a lot of work ahead of you- but I think you are smart to go with you gut- figure out what you have on your hands so you can really address the problem and not let it haunt you in the night. Best wishes.

If you want an assistant disassembler, drop me a line.

-Bruce

[_QB_]

But it's not like she's never had major work done before. I can always look at this photo of the horn timber and transom rebuild and be glad that Paul did that job and not me.

Just a little two week haulout to address a spot of rot in the lower starboard corner of the transom. That turned into an eight month project! Your plywood fix should be relatively straightforward, compared to twisting on steamed yellow cedar garboards and all that.

Speaking of plywood... my notes tell me we "repaired" the aft cabin aft bulkhead with three-quarter inch marine ply, but I don't recall, and can't find pictures telling me, exactly how much of it we replaced. But whatever it is, that part should still be good I think!

--Paul

[Hugh MacD]

Awwww,,,maaaan! Knowing it's there and seeing it for yourself are two very different things. But better to grub it out now than let it spread further. While I don't envy you the task, I hope you share the adventure with us.

[cstevens]

Bummer Chris! Not a good feeling at all. But, I've experimented with ignoring problems like that. Unsurprisingly, it didnt work. So you are doing what has to be done for the long term, which is the right thing to do. Hope the way forward becomes more clear as you explore and consult.
Brian

I've been watching your "progress" & have been sorry to see the results. I can relate, but miserable company does little to ease the pain...

Hope it can be sorted relatively quickly!

Wow Chris- looks like a lot of work ahead of you- but I think you are smart to go with you gut- figure out what you have on your hands so you can really address the problem and not let it haunt you in the night. Best wishes.

If you want an assistant disassembler, drop me a line.

-Bruce

Just a little two week haulout to address a spot of rot in the lower starboard corner of the transom. That turned into an eight month project! Your plywood fix should be relatively straightforward, compared to twisting on steamed yellow cedar garboards and all that.

Speaking of plywood... my notes tell me we "repaired" the aft cabin aft bulkhead with three-quarter inch marine ply, but I don't recall, and can't find pictures telling me, exactly how much of it we replaced. But whatever it is, that part should still be good I think!

--Paul

Awwww,,,maaaan! Knowing it's there and seeing it for yourself are two very different things. But better to grub it out now than let it spread further. While I don't envy you the task, I hope you share the adventure with us.

Thanks all. I think we've all been here in some form or other. Just my turn now. I'm meeting with Mark, the shipwright, tomorrow to talk about the project. I think the big question will be whether I need to start pulling trim pieces off of the pilothouse. I'm also hoping that we don't have to remove too much of the pilothouse aft bulkhead because...



...that's the other side of it. I'd really like to keep it looking original on the inside. As far as I can tell the rot doesn't extend more than a couple of inches from the corner so it shouldn't affect the varnished area. I hope!

[jsjpd1]

Meeting with your ship wright sounds like a good idea. The structure of the pilot house doesn’t look that bad really, unlike the aft cabin. Is it too much to hope that that’s the weather side?

[cstevens]

Meeting with your ship wright sounds like a good idea. The structure of the pilot house doesn’t look that bad really, unlike the aft cabin. Is it too much to hope that that’s the weather side?

True, it's not too complicated in the area that I have opened up so far. But the molding around the top of the pilothouse is made up of three separate pieces on each side, each maybe 10' long. It would be a project to get that apart. The trim and framing around the drop windows is fiddly as well. None of it would be impossible to remove or repair, but the more I have to take off the more work it will be to put it all back together again.

However I'm optimistic that I won't have to take things apart much more than I have already. I met with Mark yesterday and after looking at everything he thinks we may be able to repair the corner of the pilothouse without removing the molding. Although I did find two spots in the plywood above the pilothouse windows, one on each side in the same place, that seem like they are starting to get soft so I need to poke at those areas a bit more. As my wife said last night, it's better to know the full extent of the project now so that we know what we need to do. No point in ignoring it.

[ron ll]

Hey Chris, you’ve gone quiet for a couple weeks. Hope that means you are having success and good luck with your project. Is Mark working on it now with you? As to wives saying to get on with it, they seem to know. I have a tendency to minimize boat projects even while knowing they just get worse and more expensive in the future. But She is all in with “Do it now!”. We are lucky boaters who have such supportive partners.

[cstevens]

Hey Chris, you’ve gone quiet for a couple weeks. Hope that means you are having success and good luck with your project. Is Mark working on it now with you? As to wives saying to get on with it, they seem to know. I have a tendency to minimize boat projects even while knowing they just get worse and more expensive in the future. But She is all in with “Do it now!”. We are lucky boaters who have such supportive partners.

Hey Ron, thanks for the nudge. I've been buried with work for the last couple of weeks, leaving little time for boat projects or forum updates. Mark is working on another project right now and I need to check in with him to see when he will have some time. I also heard back from Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-op but they are booked out until April. So I'm at a bit of a standstill. Not sure what to do other than keep poking away at things as I have the time. I don't want to let it sit though. Spousal approval aside (and yes - it's a great thing to have that support) I was hoping to go cruising this winter and not drag out this work until spring. But here I am at 5:00 am getting ready for an early day at the office instead of stealing time to work on the boat, which I would rather be doing. So it goes.

Anyone know of a good shipwright in the Seattle area who is not booked up until 2023?

[ron ll]

I know a couple good shipwrights, but not their schedules. Peter Proctor, John Thomas, and I’ve always been happy with the work of Wayne Tedder, but he works for the Seaview yard which adds a layer of complexity and cost.

[Pelirrojo]

In addition to those already mentioned believe Sam Laher may be back in the industry again, theres a few good guys up in Bellingham, and emerald marine in Anacortes is good.

Nicholas

[Chris-on-the-Boat]

The punishment continues!

I'm looking at 2 different Monk projects right now, and both would need cabin side work. It's part of being that age I suppose.

But your project looks doable. It's a shame work always has to get in the way of boat maintenance. Good luck!

[cstevens]

I know a couple good shipwrights, but not their schedules. Peter Proctor, John Thomas, and I’ve always been happy with the work of Wayne Tedder, but he works for the Seaview yard which adds a layer of complexity and cost.

In addition to those already mentioned believe Sam Laher may be back in the industry again, theres a few good guys up in Bellingham, and emerald marine in Anacortes is good.

Nicholas

The punishment continues!

I'm looking at 2 different Monk projects right now, and both would need cabin side work. It's part of being that age I suppose.

But your project looks doable. It's a shame work always has to get in the way of boat maintenance. Good luck!

Well I made it to the holiday with no more than the usual damage from stress and overwork (dishes in the sink, boat projects stalled, a certain tendency toward peevishness). Everything that had to get done is done and everything else can wait. Thanks for the excellent shipwright suggestions. I am at least familiar with everyone on the list and have worked with some of them. I expect that any of them would do a great job but it looks like Mark is going to have some time coming up in December so the plan is to put Skookum Maru in his shed and have him make the repair to the aft cabin. There will still be plenty for me to do though, between painting, overhauling the ground tackle, refurbishing the dinghy davit, and various other projects.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

[ron ll]

A plan is always good. Is Mark’s shed in the water or dry cradle?

[cstevens]

A plan is always good. Is Mark’s shed in the water or dry cradle?

It's a boat house next to the southeast side of the Ballard Bridge, so in the water. Here's a photo I took of Nootka in his shed a few years ago when he was doing some work on her bulwarks.



There's no real reason that the work can't be done at Stimson but something about putting Skookum Maru in the shed makes me feel better about the project. Like taking your car in for service instead of working on it in front of your house. Although there is nothing wrong with doing that of course. In fact I just spent yesterday tackling a few maintenance tasks on Lucky Truck in the driveway.



Nonetheless, there is something symbolic about taking a vehicle to someone for repairs that makes it seem like things will get done. And while I put up a good front, I'm not at all sanguine about the sight of Skookum Maru with her aft cabin torn up and the insides exposed. So I'll be a lot happier when she's on the way to going back together again.

[cstevens]

I've had another hiatus from the forum and from boats in general, occasioned by work and holidays, but after some delay a window opened up in Mark's schedule so Dash and I moved Skookum Maru over to his shed this past weekend. We left the slip at Stimson on a typical Seattle January morning. Cold, damp, gray, and calm. My favorite sort of weather, aside from all the other sorts, which are nice too.



A quick trip through Salmon Bay to the other side of the Ballard bridge...



... brought us to Mark's boathouse and home for the next few weeks while we sort out the rot in the aft cabin and take care of a few other jobs.



At the moment the plan is to do some more exploratory surgery to determine the best way to address the rot, make the necessary repairs, and then finish painting the decks and cabin sides. Of course one should never plan any wooden boat project too far out since they never do go according to any scheme or design worked out in advance. So it goes.

[Garret]

Welcome back! I hope he doesn't find too much serious stuff.

[cstevens]

Welcome back! I hope he doesn't find too much serious stuff.

Thanks Garret. I think we know the worst of it but we will see what it looks like when it's opened up and go from there.

[Hugh MacD]

Good to hear from you, Chris. And glad that Skookum is under cover and getting the attention she needs. What a lucky boat, to have a good steward!

[cstevens]

Good to hear from you, Chris. And glad that Skookum is under cover and getting the attention she needs. What a lucky boat, to have a good steward!

Thanks Hugh!

[Rich Jones]

Lucky truck, lucky boat!
Let's hope the rot is not deep.

[cstevens]

Lucky truck, lucky boat!
Let's hope the rot is not deep.

Thanks Rich. Everything is getting some attention right now. I just finished converting Lucky Truck from 6v to 12v. I resisted doing that for years but I finally got tired of slow starting, dim headlights and no way to hook up trailer lights. Much better now! And so far I am optimistic about the rot situation. Of course I'm optimistic by nature so that may be more a reflection of my own naivete than a realistic assessment of the situation. We will see what Mark finds.

[Penta2]

Good call on the 12v. I had a 48 chev 2 ton a couple years ago, I found finding 6v bulbs hard and they were expensive so converted it to 12v, was well worth the effort

[Garret]

The cure I found for my 6 volt 38 Chevy truck was an 8 volt battery. Yep - 8. They used to be a thing & made all the lights nice & bright & didn't seem to hurt the starter. The old generator charged it just fine without any changes.

Of course a trailer would have to have 6 volt bulbs too - so overall, going to 12 probably makes sense. Plus - I have no idea where you'd find an 8 volt battery nowadays.

Now back to something useful!

[cstevens]

So far the 12v conversion on Lucky Truck has been a complete success. Starts on the button, headlights actually illuminate the road, battery stays charged... A huge improvement over the old system. When we bought the truck it had been sitting in a horse barn for a few decades and the wiring was entirely disintegrated. I put in a new wiring harness but there are still a bunch of things that aren't working. Like the fuel gauge. And the heater fan. Both of which would be handy to have. So I have some more electrical work coming up.

In the meantime Mark is making progress on Skookum Maru.



He's removed most of the rotten bits on the port side and so far it seems like the deterioration is limited to the beam shelf and blocking, with a little in the corner of the pilothouse.





Still, I'll be happy when things are going back together again!

[Hugh MacD]

Demolition is always disheartening, but you know the capabilities of your guy and it sounds like Mark is a good one! So at least you know that the light at the end of the tunnel is NOT an oncoming train

[jsjpd1]

Looks good Chris, it’s cleaned up nicely and looks like a pretty straight forward repair.

[ron ll]

Glad you are getting Mark started, should be ready for the season in time. I just discovered a suspicious black streak on Snoose’s port bow shear plank. I hadn’t intended to haul this year after an extensive one last year. Don’t know if I can find someone to work on this at my slip at Shilshole, I’m envious that you got into Mark’s shed schedule.