Lyman Repair

[Christopher R. Jasinski]

I own a 1955 16' Lyman and within the next year or 2 I plan on stripping the whole boat and refinishing it. While refinishing it I would like to try slowing down some of the leaks. The leaks that exist eventually swell themselves shut, but that can take awhile especially when the boat spends most of the time covered up sitting on a trailer in a garage. Does anyone know what I can do to slow down the leaks?

[ishmael]

This is a ply lapstrake hull, yes? How is it fastened in the laps, clenched nails or rivets? Has it been mostly in fresh or salt water?

Assuming it's ply, it was built with polysulfide in the laps. The leaks are likely because of started fastenings. The trick would be to locate the leaks and re-fasten, or if the laps are riveted, you can harden up on them. A squirt of polysulphide in the open seams as you do the fastening, as well as a bead down the outside of each lap, would also help a bunch.

Hope that helps. One of my favorite boats, when I was a lad, was a 13 ft Lyman with a ten horse Merc.

Jack

[Ed Harrow]

At last we understand the root of Ish's complications...

[Christopher R. Jasinski]

The boat is made of plywood and it is a clinkerbuilt, amd it has mostly been in fresh water accept once when my grandfather took to florida, but that was maybe 20 years ago. I need you to fill me on what you mean by the started fastenings? So how do I refasten the areas where it is leaking?

Originally posted by ishmael:
This is a ply lapstrake hull, yes? How is it fastened in the laps, clenched nails or rivets? Has it been mostly in fresh or salt water?

Assuming it's ply, it was built with polysulfide in the laps. The leaks are likely because of started fastenings. The trick would be to locate the leaks and re-fasten, or if the laps are riveted, you can harden up on them. A squirt of polysulphide in the open seams as you do the fastening, as well as a bead down the outside of each lap, would also help a bunch.

Hope that helps. One of my favorite boats, when I was a lad, was a 13 ft Lyman with a ten horse Merc.

Jack

[ishmael]

Sorry Christopher,

Started, a figure of speech meaning stretched, pulled loose, or broken.

I'm thinking there are clenched nails in the laps. Depending on their spacing you can put new fastenings between the old ones. I think what I would do is use rivets. You could drill for the rivet(tight fit) and then use smaller diameter machine screws with washers on each end, where appropriate, to pull the lap closed until you get a few rivets in place. Scooging some googe in the seam before pulling it tight would be a good idea.

These boats, in my experience, take a hell of a pounding, and that is what loosens 'em up. Finding where yours is loose is the first step. Could be where the garboard(bottom-most plank)meets the keel, in which case you are looking at some new screws. In that case, taking the old ones out and re-bedding the faying surface with polysulphide would be in order.

Best,

Jack

[rbgarr]

See http://www.lymanboats.com for more suggestions, information and links.