jstarmarine
Active member
Hi John,You’ve asked for comments so here goes.
What I find most interesting about these restorations the small technical details and practical applications of actually how you go about some of the work. For instance, I have little experience in steaming wood and so some details as to how you construct the steam box, generate the steam,what wood you are using, how green it is, how you actually manipulate it into place before it cools down and goes stiff again et cetera. That’s just one example of something I would find very interesting. It might seem every day ordinary work to you but some of the tricks and techniques of boat building that I’ve picked up over the years have been from boatyards and professionals that I’ve worked alongside and have become invaluable in the restoration and maintenance of our own boats. To me that’s what makes restoration videos interesting.
Yes, restorations are interesting on many different levels from the basic smallest jobs to the larger structural jobs of which I have done many over the past 45 years that I have been a boat builder. Steaming ribs and in some cases planks into a number of different shapes and angles takes many years of experience to master and in some cases a few failures as well.
As for steam boxes I made one up when I which an apprentice and it is still servicing me well to this day. However, I am going to many to make an extension to my original steam box to make it long enough for Chances ribs and planks to go into it as the original steam box is only 8ft long and I am going to need one twice as long for Chances ribs and for the sections of beam shelf I need to replace in Chance when the time comes to do that job. The rib job is my first priority job to get the old ribs out and get the new green oak ribs made up and steamed in place so that my brother and I can get them in and then make a start on the planking.
As to how green does the oak have to be, the greener the better, it is best if the tree is felted in the late summer when the oak is at its greenest. then cut and steam it as some as you can after that. You steam the oak for about an hour per inch thickness and you have to move bloody quickly from the steam box to get it in place before it cool down too much. So you get all the tools and spare tools ready and then go for it.
Ribbing out a boats hull is very satisfying as you can see the whole boat come to life in front of you as you steam in the ribs and give the boat form.
When I do the ribs in Chance I will have a video on how we do the job and how it is important to do it correctly.
Regards
Simon
Owner of Chance