My first wooden boat

[Capt Dan]

I hope I don't offend anybody with my greenhorn terms. I just purchased a 33' Charles Hankins picnic style cruiser (1976)with a ford lehman 120, survey was good, oil checked out etc..I currentely run fishing/cruising charters, and she fits exactelly what I always wanted.BUT I never had a wooden boat, hope the local boat carpenter who knows the boat well is on my side.
As time progresses any comments and help will be well recieved, i.e. lapstrake etc.. just downloaded that USCG wooden hull inspection maintenance thing, will study it. She really is the boat I have always wanted
Thanks,
Capt. Dan

[Gary E]

The Hankins boats I saw in the New Jersey area were all well built, and that Diesel was a popular engine.

Good luck with it.

I see that was your first post... Welcome to the forum

[nedL]

Congratulations! Charlie Hankins built a real fine boat. (He passed away last spring). Your boat is planked with Jersey white cedar on steam bent white oak ribs. She should be a real comfortable, sea kindly boat. My family had one of his 23' skiffs for a good number of years, I can't say enough good things about her. She had the 4 cylinder Lehman Ford diesel. (She was built in 1972.)

[Capt Dan]

Thanks Ned, everyone just about, tried to talk me out of wood, I look forward to many years of cruising with her, and hope I can handle whatever upkeep is necessary, along with some paid help. I also look forward to input from this forum when things do arise.
Dan

[Capt Dan]

I see that California has a wooden boat class, anything in new england south area?

[Gary E]

I see that California has a wooden boat class, anything in new england south area?

Well... KalifornIA might have class... they sure have everything else...

But in this here forum we gotz class to... some's got noclass and udders gotz plentyclass... Really though, no class is gona teach ya much about YOUR boat, they is all different, so stick arouind and ifin ya have a problem, take a picture or 4 of it and post'em here for all to see so the Xperts can tell ya what they'd do wid it then you get to make the decisions... Truly this is a place where you find a lot of help from a lot of well meaning folks...

Again, welcome to this buncha rag tag boaters.

[nedL]

Dan, I'm sure you already know that the bottom in your boat is quite 'unusual' in the way the keel is like a 'box'. That's called a "boxed garboard keel", and Charlie Hankins was the last builder to use this traditional type of Jersey shore construction. It is a bit complicated, but has it's advantages (for one thing it allows for a very flat prop shaft angle).
Charlie's boats were very practically built, cedar on oak hulls with (usually) plywood decks and cabin structures, the decks being glassed. With routine maintenace (painting) she should go for a long time needing little more.
As for her bottom, as my dad used to say about lapstrake Jersey skiffs 'they leak like an old peach basket when you first put them in the water, but after a couple of days there is dust in the bilge'. If you ever need bottom work on her try to find someone who knows & understands the boxed garboard keel as it is a different beast ( I'd contact the Beaton boat yard in Mantaloking for references ). Can you post some pictures??? I'd love to see her!


Boxed garboard keel

[Capt Dan]

Thanks, don't think I figured out this picture thing, and will google Mataloking

[marsbar]

Dan,

Charlie Hankins shop in Lavallette is now a museum operated by the Toms River Seaport society. They have left it just the way Charlie had it...work in process and all. A very nice place to visit if you get to the Jersey Shore. There are other boats on display also, including a real nice A-Cat. There is a wooden boat show (now called classic boat show) next month in Tom's River, just a few miles away, that is worth visiting if you are around.

Good luck with her.

Mark