Problems with my Swedish Ralph Osborn Koster

udo

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Hello all,

Summer 2010 I was here a lot asking for advice and probably some of you remember. After a long yourney I found my boat and it seemed to be in an extremely good condition. Still it worked out difficult to see and hear everything.

Under this link I have placed a range of galleries about the boat.


http://dev.colourcertainty.co.uk/01Images/Sweden-Sailing-Boats/2010/Koster-project-web/


01-The-Boat/ = about the boat
02-Hull/ = the hull, which seems to be OK, even after checking and knocking on the entire hull.

The boat was all it's live on the Swedish west coats in salt sea water. I took it half august 2010 to the Swedish east Coast, which is a lot less salty. (Baltic sea) and took it out of the water in October 2010 before the winter.

When i took it out of the water, we pressure washed the hull and a little chip broke out of the hull.
This spring I decided to inspect the wood around that area and to my horror to find out that I have problems at the very ends of the planks. (some more, some less)

Initially i thought it was wood rot, but it might be not.
After scraping the paint I can see that all ends of the planks have many cracks and I suspect that the wood was taking here more water in than the rest of the boat.
The harsh winters in Sweden will do the rest, with -28C, so the end of the planks really suffered a lot and some area's I could easily scrape out the wood.

see here this gallery;

http://dev.colourcertainty.co.uk/01.../Koster-project-web/12-Koster-hull-close-ups/

Anyway,

last year many forum members adviced me to lower the keel and to inspect the keel bolts.
It's now going to be not only inspecting the keel bots but all wood as well.

Wonder what kind of suggestion you all members have in respect to repairing the boat.

I am considering getting a professional fitting in some pieces of wood and hope that I can afford the bill.


Any feedback welcome


Udo



DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHY? I CAN NOT REPLY TO ANY OF THE POSTS IN THIS FORUM???? TO MY OWN POST??? AND NOT TO ANY OF THE REPLIES I GOT? I CAN NOT SEE THE REPLY BUTTON ANYWHERE ON THIS POST, ANY IDEA'S?
I CAN ONLY EDIT MY ORIGINAL POST!

Anyway, many thanks for all the posts!

Udo
 
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tillergirl

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Nobody is answering you Udo so I'll start the ball rolling. I find it quite difficult to assess the extent of the damage from the pictures (no criticism intended) but I fear you are facing plank replacement there. But the boat is worth it!
 

Lakesailor

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Some of the parts you show are structural rather than just planking.
Having said that some of it may look worse than it is.
I would certainly have a real boatbuilder look at it and make suggestions. Some-one who works professionally at maintaining wooden boats. Look at this web site (scroll down to "Claire") to see how your boat needs a really skilled craftsman to do her justice.
I can tell from the way you flake your headsail down that you like to have things done correctly, so I think that you will probably only be satisfied with a proper repair.

The boat is beautiful though and doing the work should be worth the expense. Only you can judge that.

Watch this:


You may be interested to read this about epoxy coating carvel keel boats which may be a way to reintroduce integrity to some of the main members if the problem is only at the surface. Either way you are looking at some months out of the water.
 

KenMcCulloch

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It's always hard to tell from photographs but it doesn't look too catastrophic. It may be that all you need is to fit some small graving pieces where the wood has deteriorated. So long as there is some sound wood left that might be all that's necessary. At worst you might want to scarf in a new section of plank.

The idea of epoxy coating the bottom is best described as 'controversial'; the trouble being that if you coat the outside with epoxy and water finds its way under that coating, as it surely will, you have created conditions for accelerating rot. Most boatbuilders would advise against it I think.
 

Wansworth

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Just for reference the ends of the planks are called the hood ends.Maybe there is enough land on the stem/stern post to refasten,cannot see clearly the state .Possible alternative would be to laminate an apron inside and refasten to that...bit complicated.
 

tillergirl

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It's always hard to tell from photographs but it doesn't look too catastrophic. It may be that all you need is to fit some small graving pieces where the wood has deteriorated. So long as there is some sound wood left that might be all that's necessary. At worst you might want to scarf in a new section of plank.

The idea of epoxy coating the bottom is best described as 'controversial'; the trouble being that if you coat the outside with epoxy and water finds its way under that coating, as it surely will, you have created conditions for accelerating rot. Most boatbuilders would advise against it I think.

I'm with you on the epoxy idea. That wouldn't even be the last thing I would do. But if Udo fears the hood ends are split to the extent of letting in water then I think new planks (new sections of planks depending on how many are called for). Like you I don't think it is catastrophic and I doubt the main structures need radical attention.
 
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