looking for some encouragement...!?

Thanks again for all of these posts - really useful.

Lake sailor, I am self employed and had already gone down the line of paying someone to do some of the work. I'd contacted someone who was fairly local (boat is south of York) to take on some of the work that was beyond me, with me as helper. He turned up twice, gave some really useful advice, but then has been really busy and when it got to the point that he didn't bother returning calls I reckoned I was back on my own with it again. I guess I need to track down someone else to fill that gap - any recommendations appreciated, either professional or with the experience who wants paid work. It feels like big pushes needed with a professional, followed by long sessions of details that I can take on.

I'd also started thinking about a little grp boat last night, as a way of keeping some connection with what got me into all this (went on a competent crew course 4 years ago, now got day skipper)

So, more cud to chew on...
 
My current boat is a project and much like you, I've found more things that need doing as I've gone on. However, mine is a plastic boat and the scale of the jobs are less than yours as well. From previous experience on a wooden boat plus house renovations I've found my psychology goes up and down like a sine wave. There are periods of despondancy when I do sod all but then along comes a progressive phase. Sailing on a mates boat, as I've been doing this weekend, is good but can also be a distraction, as it's been this weekend.
I remember the Miller Fifers from years ago. Classic MFV type little ships that look purposeful. She will be a treat when finished - tea and the crossword in the wheelhouse.
If you were a mate, I'd say that you have a lot on your plate at the moment and not to give yourself a hard time. Sort out the priorities and make a list, including living in the van and selling narrow boat etc.
The dry rot is the thing that worries me most. It's evil stuff. Standard advice is to cut back 18" beyond last trace - but then you'd have no boat. Don't know how penetrative the preservatives are but I'd give everything a good soaking spray to put rot on hold.
If twere me, I'd get a second opinion, which would help me to decide whether to carry on or to walk away.
Good luck. Let us know.
 
Hi h00.
How do you do a link to some thing on the forum?.
No the item I was referring to is a little higher up the page.
( G.U.Laws and the yacht 'Mercia III' )
Thanks for the help.
 
Dry rot is nasty stuff and it seeks wood so on a wooden boat it can thrive . Chemical treatment is great but best thing is remove all rotten timbers 1m past the last source and burn . Wear a mask as dry rot likes lungs !
On the up side dry rot hates air flow so if you can get some good airflow going on the spores will die off and kill the fruiting bodies .( The spores feed the fruiting bodies )
I did my time removing dry rot and replacing church windows / floors etc . Its nasty but can be sorted .
Id suggest calling a wood worm / damp / dry rot company in to spray the areas where and around the rot is on the boat after you have rid of all the rotten timber . They use serious chemicals that kill everything .
Well thats my 2p pro advice now my boaty 2p is go for it /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifAint nothing better than messing around with boats !
 
Encouragement, She,s a "Miller Fifer". Encouragement, She,ll look loveley when She,s finished. A "Proper Boat". I spent years and too much money on a wooden heap of s**t and it cost me dear. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Next "Project" was a well known plastic boat. Spent 5 years sorting that one out but because it was also a "Proper Boat" All ended well. What I,m trying to say is the vessel is a class act and eventually when restored will be loveley. The economics will never make sense but if you have the time and fortitude to complete the endeavore ,do it. It is most satisfying .In the past I have restored Classic vehicles (Cars and Motorbikes) and have deduced that it,s more economical to buy one already sorted. However the satisfaction and pleasure gleened from a restoration can offset the finacial stress! Wooden boats as all on here will testify,are an ongoing comitement,well,you probably know. There is a 37 foot Miller in our Marina , well found, well kept and constantley fettled by a retired "Matelow". Unusual twin engined version which He brought round from the NE coast of Scotland to Wales,through sh*t and corrupption! The Video was inspirational too ,liked the Ditty Spot on Trevera 25. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
In the past I have restored Classic vehicles (Cars and Motorbikes) and have deduced that it,s more economical to buy one already sorted.

[/ QUOTE ] You know that's not really true, because you start taking them apart and realise it's not done the way you would have done it and ....and......and

(sold my rebuilt Mini to someone in Anglesy)

On%20the%20road.jpg
 
Not much negativity from forumites now, was there? I started out thinking Mariposa would take one or two seasons to get into shape. I now realise that an old wooden boat is NEVER finished. You just have to adjust your timescales and budget accordingly.
You have a seriously nice boat with, admittedly, serious problems. The dry rot seems to be the biggest worry as it's a bitch to get rid of. I'd seriously consider the advice given earlier about calling in professionals. They have access to chemicals Joe Public wouldn't be allowed to touch. Let 'em loose on your boat and take a wee holiday while the chemicals do their stuff. When you get back pay heed to Health and Safety though!
Go for it and keep using the forum; there's loads of very helpful folks out there.
 
Well, there's a lot of good advice here, much of it from people who know more than I do, but here goes anyway.

The dry rot in the beam shelf is probably the result of a deck leak or rather multiple deck leaks in way of the bulwark stanchions. This is perhaps the greatest weakness with the Scottish MFV type hull and similar heavy carvel boats of orthodox type - the bulwarks get clobbered, the caulking round the stanchions where they penetrate the covering board starts to leak and because it is an insignificant thing in a part of the boat which is hard to see nothing gets done - for years and years.

By common consent, replacing a beam shelf is one of the biggest, most complex and most awkward jobs that can be undertaken in wooden boat repair, not least because of the massive disturbance to the structure involved. Once you have everything opened up and are ready to go, you are into steaming big timbers (see adjacent thread in which those who have done it recommend the "boil in the bag" nethod.)

The cost of doing this work professionally is the commonestl reason why Scottish MFVs are broken up, but in your case you are looking at a Miller Fifer which is not only a very nice boat but a more "manageable" size.
 
if you just find the page you want, then click on the address bar at the top when you have found it, right click and copy. The open your post and click on URL. click in the window that appears then right click and paste the address of the link you wanted. (make sure that http:// only appears once). Then click ok. The next window that pops up, allows you to name the link any thing you like. Click ok once done, and thats it.
If it's a link to a pic on the web, then right click on the pic, scroll down to properties and select. The copy the URL from the properties window, and click on the Image tab below the post window and paste in the link as before.

A bit long winded I know. Give it a try.

To be honest I cannot find the post you refer to.
G.U.Laws and the yacht 'Mercia III' ?????
 
Thank you h00. I will give it a try I assume it will show it has worked when you get to the submit button.
Thanks again.
P.S. Just a thought I hope this helps others as well.
 
Again, thanks for all your input.

Mirelle, it is all certainly down to deak leaks originally. Gonna investigate professional costs for replacing the deck shelf. It's that dry rot that worries me, it's been so persistent despite treatment. Dry rot profs I've spoken to all say to remove as much wood as possible, even if only appears surface affected. Don't know how much wood that would leave!

Anyway, gonna keep spraying cuprinol on it while I sort out other stuff and then make a decision. Can't imagine going along the breaking her up route, but like I say am holding off on decisions for a bit. Will keep you posted. Cheers
 
I think I have got it hope this works: /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Have a look at this.
To jimmyjimmy.
This is not an attempt to over run your Topic just I have managed to make this link bit work but it was my intention to draw you to look at this in my earlier post.
 
JimmyJimmy

I think you have received good reasons for making bite sized jobs instead of worrying about the whole project.

FWIW Millers built pretty strong boats - they were basically fishing boat builders and constructed their smaller pleasure boats accordingly. You wont find beautifully finished pieces of timber in inaccessible corners - more like rough wood - but incredibly strong.

We replace the deck on my father's Miller built boat twenty years ago (with marine ply) and found a bit of rot on the deck shelves where water had crept under the trakmak.

Keep at it. It will turm out a solid little boat

Regards

Donald
 
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