In need of advice!!!

[clinker lifeboat]

I have a 30' clinker built converted ships lifeboat. She was built in 1942 and intended for a ship which promptly got torpedoed and sank. The lifeboat didn't see water untill after the war and was converted to a gaff cutter some time in the 1950's.

She is in need of some repair and i want her out of the water to do it. My question is.......

As a lifeboat, is she able to stay out of the water without opening up. I would asume that as she was intended to spend her time on the deck of a ship and then not need sinking when she did go in, that i can take her out for winter without having her open up.

Any thoughts????

 

[Romeo]

She should not open up much at all if she is just out for the winter. You want to start worrying if you don't get her back in by late spring.

I don't think her intention for use as a lifeboat would make any difference to her tendancy to open up a bit. A clinker boat is a clinker boat. Ships crew would make sure tehy looked after her, so that she would look after them.

 

[Cap'n Killigrew]

paint, paint and more paint....

As soon as your boat is on the hard, sand the planks above the waterline and paint them inside and out with several coats of good quality white paint. Rub down the planks below the waterline with wet and dry sandpaper then when the surface of the planks are dry enough paint them with a pale coloured or white paint (you may have to wait several weeks for the bottom planks to be dry enough on the outside to paint, and the bilges may never dry out enough at all depending on the weather,)

Painting an old boat inside and out as soon as it comes out of the water seals the wood and stops it from drying out. Painting it white reflects the sunlight so well that even on a scorching day you should be able to lay your hand on the hull and it will feel cool. It doesn't look very nice but i've seen folk hang damp white sheets over the side of their boats for extra protection on really dry sunny days.

When you're due to go back into the water, wait until it gets dark then lift up any floors and turn all the lights on, then go and lie under your boat, you should be able to see where any seams have opened up by where the light is coming out.

I wouldn't worry too much, any seams that open up will swell and close up again after a few days back in the water.

 

[KenMcCulloch]

I wouldn't worry about taking her out of the water for a few months. My clinker Folkboat was built in 1948 and usually comes out of the water November/December and back in about April. This year she was leaking about 5 litres/hour for the first half day or so afloat but after 24 hrs that was down to about a litre a day and half that after a week.

 

[clinker lifeboat]

Another quick question......

Can anyone tell me if there is a boat breaker/second hand chandler on the south coast. I seem to remember reading something about one in southampton but can't remember when or where.

 

[sea]

make sure you have spare pumps for when you put her back in. they can take on a lot at first so a couple of spares is a good plan (not speaking from experience of course )

 

[laurance]

Another quick question......

Can anyone tell me if there is a boat breaker/second hand chandler on the south coast. I seem to remember reading something about one in southampton but can't remember when or where.

The Barge chandlery at Burlesdon. They have everything you might conceivable need but they do drive a hard bargain.

Your lifeboat would have been regularly wetted when in service to keep her tight.