small boat project

[riboid]

Undertaking a project just now. Boat is a shetland (i think) around 15 ft long. prepped all the surface, hull and topsides etc. got couple of holes in the bottom where i had to drill to release the water.

couple of questions.

1. with water being inside the hull will the boat be rotten with the wooden struture inside?

2. my plastic or perspex windows were not in the boat when i bought it is ther anywhere in scotland where i can get reasonably prices replacements. can i use normal glass or is there safety issues with this? /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

 

[snowleopard]

you will soon know if there is rot- the wood will be soft. once it dries out, areas of rot are generally darker than surrounding wood.

you must never even think of ordinary glass. the choice is perspex (acrylic) or polycarbonate. you should be able to find a nearby supplier. try in the yellow pages for 'plastic window' or 'sign makers'

 

[mainmarine]

If freshwater has been standing inside, this is the main cause of rot, seawater is less damaging, even preserving. So check it out well. as for perspex the cheapest place is to find a local plastic sign maker, in yellow pages, they will sell you off cuts and possibly cut to your pattern.
malc
mainmarine

 

[aitchw]

The Shetland is a double skinned GRP boat isn't it? If I have remebered wrong ignore the rest of this.

If it has been water logged between the mouldings then it will take an age to dry out and never if you just have drain holes drilled in the hull and then sealed. There will be big blocks of foam inside for rigidity and originally buoyancy. They will have taken up a lot of water and will stay wet for a long time if you can't get air circulating between the skins. There isn't likely to be much in the way of timber structure in there, mostly reinforcing blocks for fiitings. The usual way to deal with the problem long term is to figure out and sort where the water came from in the first place and then find 2, 3 or even 4 locations in the inner skin to put watertight inspection hatches best on vertical surfaces so not under foot (4" to 6" ones are OK and cheap). These allow you get air circulating when safe to do so and also lets you sponge out water, look between the skins (a small digi camera is great for this) and later keep an eye on things. If there are key areas where repairs might be needed inside, replacing wooden blocks say, you can locate to make them accessible.

Sorry of this seems like a lot of work.

Be patient and good luck.

 

[riboid]

thanks guys for prompt reply. yes, it is double skinned hull and there seems to be some wood underneath it. i think i have drained out all the water from the hull, as i had it upright for a right few hours and it kept coming and coming. its been lying for a few months now, but whether that has dried it out or not i will find out over the next couple of months.

thanks for the tips boys.
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