REPLACING TIMBERS

pirate

New member
Joined
30 Jun 2004
Messages
12
Visit site
ABOUT TO START STEAMING NEW TIMBERS INTO MY HILLYARD AND I NEED SOME ADVICE.
OF THE 60 ODD TIMBERS ON THE STARBOARD SIDE 40 ARE CRACKED.I HAVE NEW OAK TO FIT AND HAVE REMOVED DECK ETC READY TO FIT BUT AM CONCERNED ABOUT FOLLOWING POINTS.
THE CRACKS IN THE TIMBERS TOWARDS THE AFT OF THE HULL ARE APPROX 10 MM APART.THE BOAT HAS BEEN OUT OF THE WATER FOR 15 MONTHS AND I'M CONCERNED THAT THE PLANKS NEED TO BE PULLED BACK TOGETHER.I ASSUME THAT WHEN THE HULL WAS BUILT IN 1930 THE INBOARD EDGES OF THE PLANKS WOULD BUTT TOGETHER BUT IT IS POSSIBLE TO SEE THE CAULKING FROM INSIDE ON A LOT OF THE SEAMS.HAVING SAID THAT THE TIMBERS HAVE ONLY ONE CRACK SO MAYBE THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN LIKE THIS.
I INTEND TO REMOVE EVERY OTHER TIMBER TO FIT NEW.
SHOULD I REMOVE THE CAULKING IN ORDER TO PULL THE PLANKS UP TIGHT ,AS THERE ARE NUMEROUS CHINES,FROM THE WHOLE OF THE HULL OR A BIT AT A TIME.SHOULD I ALSO RE CAULK IN PARTS OR WAIT TILL ALL THE FRAMES ARE IN THANKS FOR ANY REPLYS
 

Peterduck

New member
Joined
10 Apr 2002
Messages
1,172
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Visit site
It sounds to me as though the boat has been rqather over-zealously caulked at some stage in its life. This could have been the cause of the rib fractures. I would be pulling out all of the cauking to allow the planks to come back together when the new timbers are steamed in. Replace alternate timbers to start with, and then go back and replace the remaining cracked ones. When the new timbers are in, check to see if any planks still have gaps between them so that you can see straight through. You may have to glue a thin spline to one side of the seam to close it up. When you are satisfied with the seams, caulk gently for the first time. After the boat has been back in the water for a month or so, the caulking can be firmed up if there are any persistent leaks.
Peter.
 
Top