deck repairs

[Bunym0b]

Hello,

still on the wooden Holman 26, the survey came back ok, though there are issues with two areas of softening in the deck; its plywood. the survey does not suggest that the winter deck needs to go, nor that it is a serious issue immediate, But id like to know more about how the deck is put together, is there a book that details how this type of boat was assembled?

 

[Poignard]

You might find this book by WEST Epoxy useful:

"Wooden Boat Restoration & Repair Manual" (pdf)

Free download from:

https://www.westsystem.com/instruction-manuals/

 

[Bunym0b]

Thanks, this boat is missing it’s rubbing strakes, which I think is odd.

 

[Poignard]

Did she ever have any rubbing strakes? I've looked at a few photos of Holman 26s online and none I've seen have them?

 

[Bunym0b]

I’m not entirely sure I’ve asked the owner, it is odd because there is no protection for the plywood decking.

 

[Tranona]

Looking at photos the ply deck is laid on the beams and beamshelf with the sheerstrake covering the edge of the ply. Then the toe rail is screwed down onto the join, probably with sealant. The ply may be sheathed in canvas or just painted. Not the best form of construction as if water gets in, which is quite likely as this area is effectively the scuppers for draining rain water, it rots the ply and probably the beamshelf and ends of the deck beams.

If you want to own and run a boat like this then you need to gain some knowledge of 1960s wood construction and the skills to do the work yourself or it will drain your bank account very quickly!

Suggest you start by going over the boat with your surveyor or a shipwright familiar with this type of boat concentrating on what he sees as the dodgy bits. You don't say where you and the boat are located, but the expertise for obvious reasons is more easily found on the East Coast where most of these boats were built.

 

[Bunym0b]

Thanks, I await the surveyors report. We saw her yesterday.

 

[Sniper]

Looking at various online photos, it looks as if some 26s have rubbing strakes although obviously some don't. Probably done to keep,weight down. As Tranona says, if the deck is butted edge on to the sheer strake then any joint failure will lead to potentially damaging leaks which can set up rot into the underlying structures. When (not if!) you redeck, it would be sensible to rework the joint so that the new deck overlays the sheer strake. The glass epoxy sheaving can then be taken over the edge and if you take the opportunity to add a rubbing strake, the joint is better protected.

 

[debenriver]

We built quite a few Holman 26's at Whisstocks, including the first of them, Nymphet, for Kim himself (June 1961). The ply decking was always laid over the top of the sheerstrake, cleaned off flush, or marginally under flush, with the hull. The reason for just less than flush was to allow the edge to be filled (trowel cement in those days) and sanded so it did not show in the topsides paintwork.

With early ply decks, we experimented with leaving the ply about 10mm back from the outside face of the sheerstrake and gluing on a hardwood spline (to 'protect' the edge of the ply). In practice we found that this was less good than simply running the ply all the way to the outside edge.

As others have mentioned, it's not good practice to butt the ply to the inside face of the sheerstrake and then sit the footrail on top of the joint – inevitably water will get in. Jock McCleod's Ron Glas was built that way (not by Whisstocks) – which is why we had to re-deck her.

If you do fit a rubbing strake, it's best if it is fitted below the line of the underside of the deck - water will again, inevitably get in between the rubbing strake and the hull and it's better if it's away from the raw ply edge. Even if the ply deck is glass clothed and the glass turned down over the edge, it's still better to drop the rubbing strake down below the deck line. This way no fastenings will penetrate the ply edge, or the join between the ply and the top of the sheerstrake. Make sure that the profile of the rubbing strake is such that it angles down well away from the hull so water runs off the top easily.

Cheers -- George