New here - Our wooden boat.

[Little Butch]

Hello, first post here!
We've got a wooden boat that's been in the family for the last maybe 30 years. She's 28ft (I think) and currently out of the water being recaulked, sanded down to the wood (about 20 years of paint) and revarnished/painted/anti fouled.

I don't know much about the boat apart from she was built in the 1930's. If anyone could tell me anything about her I'd be grateful, no matter how small it may seem... I don't know that much about boats.

 

[Capt Popeye]

Ahoy there Little Butch
Nice old 30s motor launch type motor boat; suggest if you are sanding down and re painting her, to choose a lighter colour paint for top sides as looks like the dark green has encouraged her to 'dry out' somewhat in the sun. A lighter choice of paint colour will help her to keep the caulking in her seams a lot longer.
Please keep the pics coming as its always good to see the progress on these 'refitting' jobs

 

[Little Butch]

What do you mean by dry out?
She's staying the same colour this time as she's been in these colours since the family had her. How would a lighter colour help?

Thanks for the advice though, thought I'd join here to try learn a bit

 

[dunmor]

nice little sturdy boat. is there a story as to it being called jesus?

 

[Little Butch]

nice little sturdy boat. is there a story as to it being called jesus?

My grandad was a vicar, it used to be called zelha which was a anagram of his ex wife's name then when they split up he changed it to Jesus as he said he was his best friend haha!

The boats been moored up on the river for the past 30 years, how do you think she'd fair at sea?

 

[ianc1200]

Surely the well known boat kept by a vicar at Waldringfield. I haven't seen any more history than that as it's been mentioned quite a few times in guides but as it was known of I suspect there are several in the area who would know about her.

 

[Little Butch]

That's the one! Can you remember which guides these were?

 

[Capt Popeye]

What do you mean by dry out?
She's staying the same colour this time as she's been in these colours since the family had her. How would a lighter colour help?

Thanks for the advice though, thought I'd join here to try learn a bit

Ah 'drying out' happens when a timber hulled boat is subjected to hot sunny weather and humidity, the timber planking shrinks a bit across its 'width' enabling the 'caulking' in between the planking to possibly fall out or at the least to become displaced. Often the early signs of this 'drying out' are the cracks along the planking joints, as in on of the pictures that you posted, showing the boats 'port' side from the 'stern'.
The action of 'drying out' is most noticeable in 'open' un decked timber boats where the sun and humidity can get to both sides of the planking.
In choosing a lighter colour the effect can be minimalized to some degree, as the lighter colour possibly reflects /deflects the suns rays keeping the timber planking cooler. Try touching a dark coloured surface and comparing it with a light coloured surface, with both surfaces exposed to the same direct sunlight, and see the difference.
Hope that that explains the term 'drying out' when applied to timber constructed boats, or even Sheds etc.
Anyways, wish you well with your, somewhat distinctive and historical boat, take care of her

 

[Little Butch]

Thanks for that info. Good to learn something every day...

 

[Tranona]

The boats been moored up on the river for the past 30 years, how do you think she'd fair at sea?

Probably roll around a bit in a beam sea, but many of that type of boat are used for inshore pottering and fishing. Just make sure you have the necessary safety equipment and the engine is reliable and don't forget the strong tides, particularly getting in and out of the river.

 

[reginaldon]

My grandad was a vicar, it used to be called zelha which was a anagram of his ex wife's name then when they split up he changed it to Jesus as he said he was his best friend haha!

The boats been moored up on the river for the past 30 years, how do you think she'd fair at sea?

He's mine too - no Ha ha!