need your thoughts...folkboat project...worth a grand?

[Niander]

well thanks for all the input and I've decided NOT to get it
he does want too much money[and will not budge ]
he has killed it and then expects a grand for letting in the rain and abusing it
???
he says he hasn't the time to do it
its not costing him money its only could float[just] on springs
the folksong would be better!

cheers...

 

[supermalc]

[ QUOTE ]
OK guys here is some hard info.



Like less than durable mahogany planking that hates fresh water ingress so if she's not been kept well painted expect rot in the upper strakes etc.


cheers Paul

[/ QUOTE ]

I have a mahogany boat, which I have on fresh water. I was given to understand hardwood boats were built for freshwater. Also many broads cruisers are built of mahogany.

I would very much like to know why you say Mahogany is less than durable....a serious question, as I've no experience, only what I've been told. How long is it likely to last, and what should I look out for, to see signs of deteriation. I don't know the history of my boat obviously, but again was told by experienced people she was built in the early 60s, and it appears she has all original, and sound hull planking.

 

[andyorr]

I wouldn't touch it. Worked on wooden boats and, if dry and "all there" can be very interesting and rewarding. This sounds awful.
Have a look at Boatsandoutboards.com. Look at the classic or project section. There are loads of projects in wood worth considering. If you are time rich then go for a wooden project but remember; when it is finished you are only just beginning!

 

[Guest]

Hardwoods like Mahogany blacken and harden up with Seawater ...
In freshwater - they rot ... literally fall apart unless coated / treated etc. Your boat has a good paint livery and has probably had such for all its life.

All to do with breakdown of Cellulose I believe .....

 

[luddites]

Hello Malcolm,

dont panic!

The problem is that the name mahogany covers a number of different types. The best for boatbuilding is from South America, typically known as Honduras, Cuban etc. This was largely used pre-war and is an excellent timber. Today it is a tropical rainforest timber and very expensive, let alone the sustainabilty issue.

Post war Aftican mahogany was widely used in boatbuilding because it was available and relatively cheap. However in my experience the word mahogany in this context is almost a generic term because the wood varies so much. Generally though it is much less dense than South American and has a stringy texture. This is the timber which is susceptible to freshwater rot and as used in some of the folklboats originally discussed, but to be fair thay have lasted 40 odd years. I was also making the comment in the context of bad mixing of metals in the construction causing galvanic corrosion and even worse the associated electro chemical decay to the timber adjacent. This type of stringy timber is especially prone to this but the chances are your boat is of conventional build without any fundamantally bad mixing anyway.
Incidentally my post was not a criticism of eastern bloc building 40 odd years ago. At roughly same time as this Lloyds 100A1 yacht standard still allowed the fixing of iron strap floors with copper fastenings and the consequences were dire!
So if your boat has lasted this long without any trouble the chances are she is built of reasonably good stuff. It obviouly helps if she has been well maintained.

Hope this helps Paul