The Best Wooden Boat Advice Yet.

[Grouchy_Old_Coot]

I think with all the continued debate over the best way to construct a wooden boat and seal its below water line surfaces – we should all agree to disperse of any use of those new fangled chemicals and magic potions and go back to using a material that will make our precious floating fortunes even more special, like animal fat from only endangered mammals!

Lets see, the current rarest endangered species list consists of:

• Baiji (Yangtze River Dolphin) 10 – 20 remaining
• Vancouver Island Marmot - ...29 remaining
• Seychelles Sheath-tailed Bat - ...50 - 100 remaining
• Javan Rhino - ...about 60 remaining
• Hispid Hare (Assam Rabbit) - ...110 remaining
• Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat - ...113 remaining
• Tamaraw (Dwarf Water Buffalo) – 200 remaining
• Iberian Lynx - ...135 remaining
• Red Wolf - ...less than 150 remaining
• Dwarf Blue Sheep - ...approximately 200 remaining

Now the most endangered should probably be reserved for the wealthiest boat owners (as usual) but I think I would try some of that Hairy-Nosed Wombat! It just sounds fun to use!

Of course I am only kidding and I apologize for offending anyone’s sensitivities - sealant materials are a serious subject!

What I do think would be a rational idea is for the experienced boat restorers (amateur and professional) among us, that do have real honest to goodness past experience and lessons learned, to start some type of “Lessons Learned” section on this forum that would detail what methods (construction and repair) and materials they used and the conditions (raising to fishing) and environments (Seattle coast to Arizona lake) they were used under and the resulting outcome (failure in one day or success after 50 years). That way the facts and only the facts could be shifted through and the less experienced among us could pick a solution that was better suited for their application and not have to wade through the “opinions” that seem to float to the top of these discussions.

There is nothing better at suppressing the truth than heated opinions, hurled at anyone with a dissenting view point. I know when I need to fix my vessel, the first thing I search for are uninformed opinions!

Just a thought crew.

[Holzernes Boot]

I think I would try the Hispid Hare, because “The Assam Rabbit” sounds like a great boat name and it might make my old tub run faster!

[Paul Pless]

Here's a worthwhile place to start:

WB Building & Repair FAQ Ver 3.0

[Grouchy_Old_Coot]

Here's a worthwhile place to start:

WB Building & Repair FAQ Ver 3.0

Paul - You are correct that this FAQ grouping is helpful, but it does not address the confusing issue of arguing and opposing "expert" opinions.

As an engineer and a person that deals with science everyday – I know something either works in a specific application or it doesn’t. There is no middle ground.

Take the notorious 3M 5200 as an example – it may be the perfect bottom sealant/adhesive in specific applications (example: boats under 20’, with plywood inner bottom, used only in fresh water, etc.) and it may suck when used for anything else, BUT for that specific application it WILL ALWAYS WORK. Not just for expert “A” and not expert “B”. See what I mean? It will either work or not – there is no debate.

All I would like to see are these proven facts. No opinions or non-experienced ideas.
If Don Danenberg states that he has used CPES and 3M 5200 on Chris Craft runabouts successfully for years with no failures I take that as a FACT. Maybe on GarWood utilitys it would destroy the boat but for CC runabouts it is a proven successful restoration approach. No debate, no opinion.

If the FAQ had only these type of truths, presented in a non opinionated manner, you would end all newbies asking the same tired questions over and over and the same debates raging for eternity.

Just my OPINION.

[pipefitter]

So what's wrong with newbies asking the same old questions over and over? Half of the times,that is the only action going on in these forums. It makes for conversation.A way to get to know eachother.Sometimes,the same old questions get answered better as time goes on but seriously,all facets of boatbuilding methods here have been covered into the future. So until someone finds that holy grail of boatbuilding and decides to share it,we are stuck talking about the same things. Might as well just put up a web page,disolve the forum and put all the boatbuilding laws there like in FAQ.

What seems to be happening here,if one takes time to notice, is that atleast modern boatbuilding is evolving into what may be darn good traditional practices of tomorrow.The traditional methods practiced today have already been proven for hundreds of years but now that holy wood is now endangered and not really practical to get large scale and if we all decided the old ways were best then the situation would only be worse. Sometimes, even the newbies find better ways than the experts, even if by accident. I say leave it roll as it may.

The only bad ideas expressed here for the most part, is when someone tries to cheap their way out or to find the holy grail of bargains and if it is thought that there is such a thing as a bargain in boatbuilding,all the expert advice in the world isn't going to help.You either pay now or pay later. Simple as that.

[Holzernes Boot]

If it's free, it's advice; if you pay for it, it's counseling;
if you can use either one, it's a miracle.
--Jack Adams (1838-1918) US historian, author

He that gives good advice, builds with one hand; he that gives good counsel and example, builds with both; but he that gives good admonition and bad example, builds with one hand and pulls down with the other.
-- Sir Francis Bacon

[Art Read]

Personaly, I prefer oil rendered from the North Atlantic Right Whale to slush my leather bits... Finast kind!