Wooden hulls: How long do they last?

[Talulah]

I don't have any experience of wooden boats but if you were replacing a plank in a wooden hull how long would you expect it to be before you needed to replace it again?
The plank could be in Oak, Mahogony, Teak. Plywood etc

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

You will soon have responses from people with a lot of experience about wooden boats. I had a wooden boat, I am very pleased to say that I got rid of it long time ago, mainly because i did not have the time necessary to look after it, as with all wooded boats.

Mahogany does not like being constantly wet, it will rot; ply is good and easy to replace, but requires to be protected (paint, epoxy etc), oak will last longer but its not very stable, teak is by far the best, if you can get it.

In the main, salt water will "pickle" wood, and will act as preserver, rain water is the enemy. There is no straight answer, because it all depends on preparation, protection and constant looking after of the wood.

 

[sailorman]

I don't have any experience of wooden boats but if you were replacing a plank in a wooden hull how long would you expect it to be before you needed to replace it again?
The plank could be in Oak, Mahogony, Teak. Plywood etc

Boadicea is now over 200 yrs old

 

[Talulah]

Boadicea is now over 200 yrs old

But how many planks have been replaced?
This is related to my thread "Do you regret buying your boat" and the owner of the wooden boat at the start of that thread. Whilst he currently needs to replace a couple of planks I'm wondering if over the next couple of years he will need to replace most. His prospective buyer has gone quiet and I'm wondering how much support I should give him or tell him it's just good money after bad and sell it at any price.

 

[Capt Popeye]

I have found that wood is easier to repair, refurbish and live with, than GRP

taking proper care of a boat built from timber is, perhaps, becomimg a lost art?

like any boat, timber or GRP, rain water can do more damage in a short time than Sea Water

the main damage, as I see it, to any wooden boat, is the drying 'wind' factor when a boat is left out of the water and dries out, hence the seams and planks dry out

most timber, replaced, would not need replacing in your 'lifetime',

 

[Tranona]

Definitely a "piece of string" question. You can get data on the durability of different species of wood which will show that teak, for example will last longer than other species. However it is the way that wood is kept that is the most important factor. So well protected Douglas Fir (not a particularly durable species) will last very well if coated and kept dry and well ventilated.

Most rot and decay in wooden boats is caused by freshwater (usually rain water) and lack of air circulation. Generally planking lasts well, but frames, decking etc where water can rest are the first to go.

Just to illustrate, my plywood skinned boat is coming up 50 years old. The hull and all the major framing is untouched by any rot - because it is proteceted externally with Cascover, interior is mostly dry and well ventilated and every bit is well painted. The rot, fortunately very little is in upperworks - deck edges, seams in plywood and anywhere that fershwater can rest.

 

[sailorman]

But how many planks have been replaced?
This is related to my thread "Do you regret buying your boat" and the owner of the wooden boat at the start of that thread. Whilst he currently needs to replace a couple of planks I'm wondering if over the next couple of years he will need to replace most. His prospective buyer has gone quiet and I'm wondering how much support I should give him or tell him it's just good money after bad and sell it at any price.

she has been in the same ( present) family for 3 generations

 

[Bajansailor]

I used to sail (15 years ago) on a lovely old S & S yawl 'Stormy Weather' who was built of mahogany on American white oak frames in the 30's.
http://www.stormy-weather.co.uk/ and http://www.stormy.ca/marine/index.html
Her previous owner Paul completely gutted and re-framed her in the early 80's with new laminated frames, as the original steamed white oak frames had gone brittle, and all had cracked on the turn of the bilge.
But pretty much all of her mahogany hull planking was original then, and I think the same could be said today, 80 years on.
Her planking was unique in that every single hull plank apart from the sheer strake was continuous from stem to stern - imagine trying to find 50'+ lengths of mahogany these days!
(The sheer strake on each side had a butt joint amidships, with a proper butt block behind it).

 

[westernman]

I don't have any experience of wooden boats but if you were replacing a plank in a wooden hull how long would you expect it to be before you needed to replace it again?
The plank could be in Oak, Mahogony, Teak. Plywood etc

In the tropics, plenty of humidity, plenty of rain and built with the cheapest wood available and not protected in anyway (i.e. no paint, no tar or anything else), it will last about 10 years according to the Vietnamese fishermen I spoke to.

 

[sailorman]

I used to sail (15 years ago) on a lovely old S & S yawl 'Stormy Weather' who was built of mahogany on American white oak frames in the 30's.
http://www.stormy-weather.co.uk/ and http://www.stormy.ca/marine/index.html
Her previous owner Paul completely gutted and re-framed her in the early 80's with new laminated frames, as the original steamed white oak frames had gone brittle, and all had cracked on the turn of the bilge.
But pretty much all of her mahogany hull planking was original then, and I think the same could be said today, 80 years on.
Her planking was unique in that every single hull plank apart from the sheer strake was continuous from stem to stern - imagine trying to find 50'+ lengths of mahogany these days!
(The sheer strake on each side had a butt joint amidships, with a proper butt block behind it).

you are indeed a fortunate chap

 

[Bajansailor]

you are indeed a fortunate chap

I am indeed, to have had the opportunity to sail on her for a few years in the 90's, and also at Antigua Classics last year with her current custodian.

And he is very fortunate to be allowed custody of such an amazing old lady. However he also is the one with the most headaches, especially when it is time to pay the bills to keep her looking absolutely beautiful.......

 

[Romeo]

All planking on my 77 year old clinker built boat is original. Larch on oak frames. Leaks a little bit mind you, and some people are fussy about that sort of thing. She has been in the water for about 7 months each year on average, apart from 1939 to 1946 where she was dry stored. All in northern latitudes.

 

[Romeo]

I don't have any experience of wooden boats but if you were replacing a plank in a wooden hull how long would you expect it to be before you needed to replace it again?
The plank could be in Oak, Mahogony, Teak. Plywood etc

I should also have added that how long it lasts will depend on a number of factors one of which is how well the boat is maintained and how often the boat is used. The more the boat is used, the more likely that small jobs will be dealt with before they become big jobs.

The quality of the materials is also crucial. Not all teak is the same for instance, and not all plywood is the same either!

 

[chinita]

My boat is 49 years old; built in teak on Ipol frames.

She has not been out of the water for more than a few days for several years.

The tricks are, IMO:

Employ a quality, proven, wooden boat surveyor.

Buy the best in design, materials and building yard, walk away from anything else. There is an interesting thread on CB Forum regarding this.

Keep afloat, cover from rainwater, ventilate thoroughly. Keep the decks awash with seawater several times a day when you are on board.

If you MUST store ashore choose a shady spot, well out of the wind. Wind is a wood killer and will dry out and shrink your hull faster than any amount of sun.

 

[LittleShip]

Little Ship is now 39 years old with all original hull planks as far as I know.

Many decry wood boats but they are (as long as they are looked after) as good and in many ways much better than plastic.

Are you thinking of buying a wood vessel, if so get a good survey done, as stated above they need to be looked after.

Tom

 

[Babylon]

Wind is a wood killer and will dry out and shrink your hull faster than any amount of sun.

Reminds me of my old landlord, a retired farmer in North Devon, who used to refer to a "drying wind."

 

[Ludd]

Just looked at your "do you regret" post.

Wooden fishing boats of that era had a design working life of about 25years .
His biggest problem is likely to be the fastenings: she may require complete renailing!
Tell him to get a full survey by a specialist wooden boat man---. Personally,I'd advise him to think Swan---VESTA!

 

[stav]

Just looked at your "do you regret" post.

Wooden fishing boats of that era had a design working life of about 25years .
His biggest problem is likely to be the fastenings: she may require complete renailing!
Tell him to get a full survey by a specialist wooden boat man---. Personally,I'd advise him to think Swan---VESTA!

Does seem to depend upon the original construstion material: teak, bronze, lead verses elm, galvanished iron, cast iron.

But no boat will last forever, but with some care a wooden boat can last along time, I guess, other issues such as how hard it has been used and signs of lifting the gunnel seem more likely to see off an old boat.

 

[lenten]

my old fishing boat built in 1955 ---larch on oak--is still fishing somewhere down the west country---mevagissey i think-----my previous boat which i sold in the early 70s was built before 1902---do not the exact date but the firm that built it went out of business in 1902---both were very heavily built and had that sea kindly heavy feel which i prefer to the modern slappy tupperware hulls----regards lenten

 

[Talulah]

Personally,I'd advise him to think Swan---VESTA!

LOL. Excellent. Tuesday morning at work. Brought a smile.