Caulking Problems

[Peerie Maa]

Re: Caulking Problems

Someone here suggested that my boat was built with inferior construction techniques, here's a photo of her out of the water. That double planking is of Lignum Vitae and it is 1" thick, and was steam bent over 3" thick 1500 year old Alaskan Yellow Cedar. My friends, this is NOT an ordinary yacht, everything about her is extraordinary and totally unique. Including her sold Cocobolo interior.

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It certainly is an extraordinarily bad way to scarf planks, as you have now learned. They have literally spoiled the ship for a hapen'worth of tar.
It works on British narrow boats, because they never see waves, and the ends are nibbed and fastened to the frames. Yours are not. Do not drive caulking, as there is nothing securing those pointy ends.
For a temporary fix whilst you move her to a yard where proper repairs can be carried out, nail/screw on tingles, as suggested. Then do the job properly by scarfing in dutchmen.

[Peerie Maa]

Re: Caulking Problems

you can caulk it with cotton, who designed and built this boat, when, what size is it, and why was it built like this, is that rescorsinal , red glue

Would you really drive caulking into a butt that is not fastened to any frame timber, or backed by the bearding of a rebate?
Seriously?

[Boatbum]

Re: Caulking Problems

I also have never seen anything like this. Not the greatest shot, but here's one from the outside. This by the way is the worst one, other's are just a hairline.

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The crack is not only wide but is filled with something. It looks to me like that seem has been open for a while and someone put caulk into the opening.

[Garret]

Re: Caulking Problems

My boat has topsides of 80 year old AYC - about 1.5" thickness. Joints are either on frames or have butt blocks. It sat on the hard in Florida for over 5 years (when the boat was about 60) & never developed issues like this.

The pic above (post #3) showing the scarf detail on the Narrowboat might work just fine on a canal only boat in a damp & less sunny place like England, but I can't see it doing well in hot CA or Mexican sun.

[Leviathan]

Re: Caulking Problems

Thank you all for your interest in my boat.

She was built in 1965 by Master Shipwright George Calkins. Among other things George was also in the lumber business, and had squirreled away the very finest lumber throughout his life for his final lifetime project, which was this yacht. The yacht was custom designed by William Garden, to George's specs. LOA end of bowsprit to dinghy davits 88' LOD about 70". The yacht has many unusual and unique features that nobody has ever seen before. The construction, craftsmanship, and attention to detail is far beyond anything I have ever seen. Even snobby experts who think they know everything are quickly humbled when they come aboard and have a look around. Maybe I ought to invite "coelcanth" to have a look, it may knock the sarcasm out of him?

Let me explain what happened... I had already sailed the yacht from Los Angeles to Mazatlán Mexico, and went through 2 gales on the way down without any problem. While in Mazatlán I hauled out for bottom paint, I think the yacht got damaged from the haul out? They used the marine railway system for the haul, but were not careful enough. They have absolutely zero love or respect for wooden boats in Mexico. It's the equivalent of placing gold bars in front of a pig. Instead of slowly launching the yacht back into the water, they just let the cables go, the yacht was pounded hard on the rack as she flew down the ramp. They're a bunch of jerks. I think the yacht somehow got twisted? I inspected the yacht with my dinghy after the launch, but didn't notice anything wrong. She had been out of the water for a week, and didn't take on a single drop of water after launch.

I then I went out into that moderately rough seaway many seams opened, and also the scarf joints came apart. I don't know if this was due to the haul out, or being too dried out in the hot dry Mexican sun? Your thought are most welcome.

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[Peerie Maa]

Re: Caulking Problems

That double planking is of Lignum Vitae and it is 1" thick, and was steam bent over 3" thick 1500 year old Alaskan Yellow Cedar.

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The run of the seams suggests that only the bottom is double planked. Is that correct?
If so, that is why your bottom is tight.
The topsides opening on only one side suggests that it is the effect of drying out in the hot dry sun. If it were the rough launching, then both sides will have opened up to the same extent.
Your problem is an over reliance on glue in a critical part of the boat's structure, using a technique that I expect has not been used on any other boats hull, ever.

[debenriver]

Re: Caulking Problems

Seems very odd to me.

The scarphs on the outside 1" Lignum Vitae are surely not in the same place exactly as the scarphs in the 3" AYC inner planking. And it would be really very odd indeed if the plank seams in the LV are in exactly the same place as the seams in the AYC – the whole thinking behind double planking is exactly the opposite of this. 4" total thickness planking on frames 8" apart – should be bullet proof. Provided the fastenings are good, it's hard to envisage the amount of leakage posted. And the photo of the LV planking looks pretty close seamed to me.

So I don't understand how a fairly meagre storm (30 knots of wind for 40 minutes) caused so much leakage that it overcame the pumps. Was she out for a week as #35 or several months as #1? Or are those separate occasions? I mean this is a big tough boat that should be able to withstand a whole lot more than this!

If she doesn't leak below the waterline, but only above – then I don't see how the haul out and launch in Mexico can have done any damage.

Not convinced ... George

[chas]

Re: Caulking Problems

Could you have been overcanvassed on starboard tack when pounding into those seas?/ Jim

[peter radclyffe]

Re: Caulking Problems

Would you really drive caulking into a butt that is not fastened to any frame timber, or backed by the bearding of a rebate?
Seriously?

it may get him out of trouble nick, id prefer to take the lining out and back all the scarfs with butt blocks , are the topsides 3 inch thick or only the bottom

[peter radclyffe]

Re: Caulking Problems

The run of the seams suggests that only the bottom is double planked. Is that correct?
If so, that is why your bottom is tight.
The topsides opening on only one side suggests that it is the effect of drying out in the hot dry sun. If it were the rough launching, then both sides will have opened up to the same extent.
Your problem is an over reliance on glue in a critical part of the boat's structure, using a technique that I expect has not been used on any other boats hull, ever.

exactly ,,,,,Your problem is an over reliance on glue in a critical part of the boat's structure

[Peerie Maa]

Re: Caulking Problems

Someone here suggested that my boat was built with inferior construction techniques, here's a photo of her out of the water. That double planking is of Lignum Vitae and it is 1" thick, and was steam bent over 3" thick 1500 year old Alaskan Yellow Cedar. My friends, this is NOT an ordinary yacht, everything about her is extraordinary and totally unique. Including her sold Cocobolo interior.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]128055[/ATTACH]

it may get him out of trouble nick, id prefer to take the lining out and back all the scarfs with butt blocks, this boat appears not to have been built by boatbuilders , are the topsides 3 inch thick or only the bottom

I read the words and image together to suggest that the hull is planked with 3'' AYC, and the bottom is doubles with 1'' lignum vitae. I would worry that if she works, she may spit the caulking. So I would rather use tingles, until the buts can be repaired with scarfed in dutchmen as Ian suggested in post 23. Butt blocks would be best, but I don't think that Leviathan will do that.
This image

suggests that butt blocks might not be as effective as we would want.

[Stiletto]

Re: Caulking Problems

Why would a 'master shipwright' use such an unusual way of joining the planks? Something doesnt quite add up.

[Brian Palmer]

Re: Caulking Problems

George Calkins, designer and builder of the Bartender powerboat, among others.

"Between 1937 and 1946 George built a string of highly successful commercial fishing boats for the NW salmon and tuna fisheries. Some of these boats are still working today."

https://bartenderboats.com/history/

It looks to me from the interior shot that the planks were scarfed with resorcinol glue.

[Rumars]

Re: Caulking Problems

I would plunge cut into the scarfs with a 3mm blade to clean the faying surface, then install splines in thickened epoxy. Use an oscillating saw, it's the easiest to control.

I agree that for the long term replacing the scarfs with conventional ones is the way to go.

[chas]

Re: Caulking Problems

"It looks to me from the interior shot that the planks were scarfed with resorcinol glue."

Could those 3" thick plank scarfs also be drift fastened for added security? / Jim