Holiday time, isn't it?

[MapisM]

Holiday time, isn\'t it?

It seems that a lot of the forum folks are boating around these days...
I posted the following message in PBO forum two days ago, with no feedback so far...
Let's see if someone here can give me a hint.
I was in doubt about where to post this topic from the beginning, actually.


My wooden (planked) preferred toy is finally back in the water after two months and a half of various refittings. Looks great, and this help forgetting the bill...
I was pleased to notice that there were no leakages at all inside the bildge, which I expected to happen considered the time spent in dry dock.
Based on that (and on some other opinions heard around) I'm considering to leave it inside a shed during wintertime.
Costwise, I had a very good proposal, and wouldn't use it in winter anyhow.
So, I am now interested in the "technical" pros and cons of this choice, obviously related to this type of hull.

Any opinion/suggestion/experience on this matter?

 

[Mirelle]

Covered storage in a shed

Good idea, provided the shed is unheated. In fact, the best possible place for her.

 

[MapisM]

Covered storage in a shed

No, the shed wouldn't be heated. But is it really that better?
I was told that, for the hull, staying in the water refrains planks from moving, thus keeping seams tighter.
Besides, the boat's (considerable!) weight in the water is evenly distributed, which is never the case in dry dock.
How do you judge these viewpoints?

 

[Mirelle]

Re: Covered storage in a shed

Well, there is not space to write a book on this subject, here, but just briefly:

1. The biggest enemy of wooden boats, the real "killer", is fresh water, usually in the form of rainwater. Keep the rain out and your boat will last, let the rain in and let it lie about and she will die.

2. My boat (admittedly teak planked) usually stays in the water in the winter, in a mud berth, but occasionally she has spent the winter in a shed; there has never been any easily discernible movement in the planking or any other part of her.

3. It is very much easier to leave everything open for ventilation, and infinitely easier to work on the boat, in a shed.

4. If afloat or in a mud berth you must, you really must, have a good fitted cover, with ridge pole and A frames, open at each end for ventilation, tied down under the boat.

5, Outside or in a shed, a boat ahore must be properly chocked up, with supports well positioned and under the ends as well as under the keel and bilges.

6. Having said that, if the boat's structure needs even support, you should not be goin to sea in her.

 

[MapisM]

Storage & rain

Cheers Mirelle for your hints.

Regarding the even support, I agree that a boat structure must be capable of affording big changes in weight distribution, as the sea motion requires.
What I was fearing is the risk that a single support badly positioned could bear too much weight on a very small area.
I think this could damage even the toughest structure, but of course it is just a matter of positioning correctly all the supports, as you mention.

BTW, regarding rain getting inside the boat, on the deck I have some of those rubber seals between the teak lists (sorry, but as you can imagine english is not my mother tongue... hope you see what I mean) wich are not tight anymore.
Inside the cabins, after a long rain, a few leakages can be seen.
I was suggested to remove the old rubbers completely, and make new ones.
The cost is high, though. They asked me 250~270 Euro per square meter.
Is that fair, in your opinion?
And how many years should these rubber seals normally last, if properly made?

Thanks again for your comments.

 

[Mirelle]

Re: Storage & rain

That does seem like a lot of money but when I think about it it may be about right, in fact.

Of course, this is a job which you can do yourself, in that shed, in the winter!

You are quite right about the risk of one support taking too much weight. This is most dangerous when a boat is out of the water and "chocked up" on soft ground - it happens that some supports will sink in and others will not, so that all the weight can come on one place.

The boat should be upright, so that all the weight is taken by the keel apart from the overhanging ends (spoon bow and counter stern, for example) which should be supported carefully. The bilge supports to each side should not be taking too much weight unless the boat is leaning over one way - in which case she must be brought upright again.

In SW Britain, boats are often left for the winter, or just between tides, on "legs" which are posts secured to the chain plates and held vertical with ropes to the boat from the foot of the post, fore and aft. This has been done for hundreds of years without many accidents.

 

[anmarine]

Re: Holiday time, isn\'t it?

A good well ventilated shed is the best place for her. If have one going at a sensible cost grab it.