Storing a strip planked boat on a trailer in high desert

[Ted Hoppe]

I am considering taking my strip planked sloop out of the saltwater to Reno, Nevada in the spring if she does not sell over winter. I will need to buy a good trailer which will support the 8800 lbs lady. It will be high desert at 3500 to 4000 feet. The temperatures have extreme lows and a few days of over 100. My questions are - if I placed the boat into a covered work shed with a gravel/dirt floor while I worked and perfected her next summer - what considerations and drawbacks should I be concerned with?

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I had a heck of a time here in Alameda 5 years ago when I hauled her out during a 100 degree 3 week heat wave. It took her a full week to swell. Then again she was uncovered and stripped naked in direct sunlight for 2 out of the three weeks.

[JimConlin]

If you have a water source, you can dampen its environment as needed. Maybe a poly skirt and a soaker hose.

An appealing boat.

I’d think that you could hire a boat trucker for several trips for the cost of a trailer.

[Besserwisser]

A bit late now I suppose but a layer of glass when last stripped back would have solved all such potential problems.

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[Hugh MacD]

With the dirt floor you could "skirt" it with plastic and set a soaker on a timer...perhaps with some kind of hygrometer you could use to monitor the humidity?

[BillP]

It tried soaker hoses in 95% humidity in Florida on a planked ketch...it takes a lot more water soaking than a person thinks. In your case I'd tent it and buy a misting humidifier.

[Ted Hoppe]

Thank you for the support and ideas. Running a liner under the top soil/pee gravel might be a decent barrier. I also think a mister and a covered shelter would be the way to go. Rigging a misting system on a timer would be nice. Also would allow for a drop in temperature when working under the roofing - making 80 to 90 days almost pleasant.

currently looking at an undeveloped piece of land: a 500 gallon water collection storage tank would make the shed more friendly.

[wizbang 13]

Choose one or the other. Go dry or go wet .
sheathing her, or even just resonating the hull when she was dried out would have been a plan.
seeing a strip plank boat go very dry then wet then very dry again is hurting my ears !
But it is a testament to strip planking that you can even consider it.
What others do with their carvel planking has almost nothing to do with yours.
Mine is jusfine after 2.5 years in a shed on concrete in Antigua .no myster , no ventilation, no godfather.

[BillP]

Choose one or the other. Go dry or go wet .
sheathing her, or even just resonating the hull when she was dried out would have been a plan.
seeing a strip plank boat go very dry then wet then very dry again is hurting my ears !
But it is a testament to strip planking that you can even consider it.
What others do with their carvel planking has almost nothing to do with yours.
Mine is jusfine after 2.5 years in a shed on concrete in Antigua .no myster , no ventilation, no godfather.

Isn't yours glassed on both sides? Bare wood hulls have more in common than glass wood hulls when it comes to drying out no matter strip, carvel or cross planked.

[wizbang 13]

No , Woodwind is not sheathed . Epoxy resin “painted” but no sheathing .