Repairs to a Dragon

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VJH

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We recently bought a 'classic' Dragon and must replace her deck. Currently she has canvas on spruce which is well past it's sell by date! Do we replace like for like, canvas on ply or teak? She was winning pots til the end of last year so how much extra weight will we add by changing her current deck to teak? Also what difference will there be in the hull movement etc if we introduce ply? Her cuddy is teak and we think she would look better for the teak (varnished topsides) but I'm aprehensive. Any thoughts gratefully recieved.
 
There nothing wrong with canvas on plywood, and if you don't increase the thickness of the deck any increase in weight due to the extra density of the wood will be minimal. Teak strips over ply look nice, but I'm not convinced of the worth of the extra effort, both in laying the deck in the first place, and the maintenance afterward. The ply subdeck needs to be thoroughly sealed (I'd use International's Everdure, about 3 coats) before gluing down the teak strips. When laying mastic in the seams, push the gun away from you rather than draw it to you. This pushes the mastic down into the seam and prevents any bubbles forming because the mastic is under tension.
Peter.
 
Why not replace like for like? Canvas on spruce again. If she was winning prizes then it would be a shame to do anything that might spoil that.

Back in the days of the international rule the building regulations allowed the use of thinner deck planks when using teak because of the extra weight. However, few if any racing boats did this as it was still much heavier than the yellow pine that was the then favorite.
 
Thanks for this. We hadn't really thought about the same again, this would preserve her integrity and hopefully not alter her performance, we just presumed that ply was the way forward! The ongoing maintenance of a teak deak isn't a worry as we have a furniture making workshop and plenty of space for her to be wintered here. It's only that initial decision of which way to go. Do you think using ply sensible as there is next to no give in it unlike spruce? And what about teak on it's own, no ply?
 
Peterduck said:
There nothing wrong with canvas on plywood
Peter.
Click to expand...

Not much right with it either! Its quick to do but requires regular maintenance and does not last long.
I would take the opportunity to make the boat even more competitive by fitting a composite deck of spruce/pine/cedar, with a 4mm layer of ply glued over the top, then sheathed in a light glass woven roving with epoxy resin. Fill/fair if required and finish in two-pack for a zero maintenance deck.

This method is pretty much the industry standard (I have been doing for 20 odd years, three this year) where the class rules allow. It really helps an old hull, reducing torsional twisting, taking the load of lodging knees and generally stiffening things up. If there is a problem with movement on the bottom of the shear strake I have succsesfully splined it to the next plank down. This doubles the amount of fastenings into the timbers that the new 'stiff' lid is attached to.

In the case of the X boats, the ply layer is not allowed, so the deck is very well varnished with 2 pack, then laid, then sheathed. It does not move much as it is so well coated and gets round the class rules.

A strong boat in good seaworthy condition hardly 'moves' at all, only old hulls in need of a good rebuild!
 
Thanks very much, as an ex' X class racer (but not owner) and new into Dragons I am anxious to get it right! I know I will want to race her so keeping her light etc. All gratefully recieved. Thanks
Vanessa
 
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