When to caulk and putty

[lesweeks]

I'm progressing with my restoration project (98 year old 25' yawl); bulkheads are fitted, cabin roof on and ready for canvassing, deck 'done' and ready for the epoxy/glass 'hat' and much of the hull work is now complete. However, I still have lots to do and I'm still steering towards a re-lauch in 2012 - her centenary.

So, my question is this; if I still have 18-24 months out of the water when should I caulk her up, putty the seams and paint the hull?

* Can I do all of these things now on the basis that she's been out of the water 9 years or so and aint gonna get any drier, but risk the putty getting hard? (I know about the thumbnail of grease trick)
* Caulk and paint but leave the putty and final coats of paint for another year or so?
* Just caulk her to harden everything up (all the nails have been done)?
* forget the hull for the time being and get all the other jobs completed. (I may start yet another thread on keel bolts!)?

I know that some of you guys have been there and done/doing it, so I'd appreciate your words of wisdom.

 

[stuhaynes]

To caulk or not to caulk?

IMHO absolutely NOT!
Our boat Cygnus is 60 next year. Mahogany on oak. In 2007 we were out of the water for five and a half months for 'normal maintenance'. Even with the floods and rain of that year we couldn't prevent the shrinkage of the white lead / putty / grease mix. We ended up chasing our tail...

Nearer to your situation. There is a boat that has been paying double moorings for the last 8 years to be under cover in a shed. It came out, onto the land 3 months ago and over the last weeks she has started to crack and show further shrinkage of the joints. I know that this sounds like a contradiction, but trust me, it's true. I believe that there is a lack of water for this boat, hence its land based status.

From my own experience. When you have a launch date, caulk the hull a couple of weeks in advance. Apply good paint and get her in the water ASAP. She may leak, so make sure that you have a decent bilge pump. She should 'take up' in a few short hours.

Don't leave traditional lead / putty on the land too long. It's heartbreaking to see, especially as you intend to do it well, and you will end up chasing your tail.

Our boat, which has only been a landlubber this time for five weeks launches tomorrow. The putty has a skin and 4 coats of paint over it. She'll leak for a few hours, and then we're off!

Good luck, but don't rush the caulking, you'll regret it...

Hope this helps, Stu

 

[oldfrank]

I'm aware this isn't a traditionalist's answer but below the waterline I use cotton caulking and sikaflex (carvel construction). My boat dates from 1939 and the sikaflex made a huge difference in keeping the water out. If you stickyflex when the hull is dry, you'll have to sand off what's been squeezed out of the seams next time she's slipped. Many antifoulings have to be applied within a short time of launching.

Topside planking has been splined - I got bored with every seam re-appearing as soon as the crane lifted her. Dare I add that the topside look like glass fibre when newly painted?

 

[lesweeks]

Thanks for the suggestions & comments.
I've also splined mine above the waterline and I've whacked a coat of primer on top to try and seal things up a bit. However, I'm still uncertain as to what to do below the waterline. I take the point about delaying the putty phase until shortly before launching, but I can't see any argument for not getting a coat of primer in the gaps, hammering in the cotton and then getting a thinned coat or two of primer over the cotton.
This would harden/stiffen up the hull and allow me to get to work on the inside of the hull knowing that I'm not going to get any runs of primer etc. leaking through.
Does this sound reasonable?