Boat Guys...How Would You Fix This?

Vaughn

Inquiring minds want to know! After all this learned advice what did your buddy decide?

Can't leave us hanging out here in cyberland dude, we need closure! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
Jay, you got your answer straight from the tillerman. ;)

Howdy Bert...good to see you pop in. :wave:
 
Bert

Welcome to the family! I was on one of those boats a LONG time ago, it is a Lyle Hess design isn't it? There was a family of four with Gram aboard and they had been full time liveaboards for 3 years! Kind of close quarters for that size boat but they had covered some miles in it.

We look forward to pics!

Jay
 
Jay

Thanks for the welcome. I have been reading a bit and it looks like a good forum.

Yes, it is a Lyle Hess design. The intent of the design was to create the most capable ocean boat possible that could be transported by trailer without a permit. At 8-9,000 lbs, 8 feet wide and 13+ feet high when on the trailer :eek: it is not an easy boat to load on the trailer, but after loading the boat once and hauling it 350 miles it no longer seem so intimidating...

Unfortunately, the tiller may be just a warmup. At some point I will have to replace the teak cap-rail which has been "cleaned" enough in the past that some of the screw heads are showing through... :rolleyes:

I don't think the caprail leaks, however, so I am hoping to use the boat a bit before I tackle that one. I have plenty to do getting the rigging and other essential systems in good shape.


Bert.
 

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Hi Bert! welcome to the site! Great looking boat. I am looking forward to the restore pics and I think the bronze bushings are a great idea!
 
Bert

One of the benefits (?) of joining this group is that you get advice even if you didn't ask for it! :rofl: :rofl:

Regarding the cap rail, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.!

I owned a Crealock 37 for 21 years, and keeping the varnish up on that thing was a real marriage stressor.

If I ever buy another sailboat, no teak would be a very important consideration. If I were you, I would clean up the cap rail, fill the holes with west system epoxy and filler -- sand smooth. and then seal the whole thing with west epoxy. Then I'd use awlgrip or something like that to paint the whole bloody thing -- you will have more time to sail and less time varnishing -- especially if you are in southern climes! A bronze rubstrake on the outboard edge will ease the panic feeling when you're coming into a dock.

Jay
 
My advice is buy a power boat instead!! :)

Power boats provide no means of testing your abilities. Don't get me wrong, I also enjoy pushing the throttle forward and going fast. I just like to see if I can talk mother nature into letting me go where I want. Besides the fuel is free!:thumb:

By the way...nice boat!
 
Yeah I would have to go for the new power boat idea myself. If you are looking for one, I can suggest a boatyard!! Of course the company I work for (Lyman Morse Boatworks Inc) now has a three year waiting period for new boat construction. With 200 people working there, and 2 yachts ready to launch in the next week, the place is just crazy right now.

I am just kidding about the new boat of course, we make millionares out of billionares so I doubt you will be looking for us to build you a new boat. It's because of the quality of the boats we make, but unfortunately I don't work in the woodworking end of things. I am a Machinist by trade and fabricate/ machine most of the brightwork as it is called, on the yachts. Everything from handrails to those tiny guards that go over the electrical switches inside the engine rooms.

You did mention some bronze castings and thru-hull fittings but I would suggest 316L stainless instead. That is all we use since bronze has a tendency to tarnish a lot faster. I might be able to help answer some of your metal related questions on your boat however. If not, I know I have some of the best boatbuilders to ask.
 
Ed and others,

Thanks for the compliments and advice on the boat. I was lucky to be able to sail quite a bit growing up in Maine (in boats ranging from Sunfish to Friendship Sloops), but I spent a bit of time in power boats when I worked a couple of summers as an outboard repair mechanic, so I've also been touched by the dark side of the force... :) :) :)

This is the first boat I have had after being away form them for about 25 years, mostly because of career and family. My initial plans for it include replacing the engine and making it seaworthy, safe and legal.

My taste in boats tends towards weathered teak (rather than varnished) and unpolished bronze instead of stainless steel--largely because of stainless' cavity corrosion problems. I will have some varnished wood on the boat, but I plan to keep that covered for UV protection when the boat is at dock or at anchor so the varnishing I need to do each spring will be limited.

I have a question on wood (not to stray too far from the purpose of this forum). I have noticed that plain sawn white oak is less expensive than quarter sawn. I would expect that quarter sawn lumber would warp less as it dries, but if I am resawing into strips and gluing up the tiller on a form, it does not seem to me that plain sawn oak would be a problem.

Am I missing something here? Are there strength or other issues I should be aware of with plain sawn lumber?
 
I think it's just a matter of degrees of strength regarding the QS vs FS question but, nothing like a boat question brings out the old salts and like some others I sailed for 20+ years (started with Oday 17 finished with a Catalina 30). If it were me I would likely make the tiller from QS laminated cypress. I would also glass the entire piece and would make delrin or UHMW plastic bushings for the bolts and stay away from metals because of the electrolysis factor. Remember that the area where it bolts to the rudder post is the weakest point and always keep an emergency spare tiller made of steel on the boat with the necessary gear to install it. I have been in open water with a busted tiller and little in the way of a repair and it's right there with losing a mast as a day/season breaker.
 
I don't want to steer this topic off from woodworking, but since there was mention of sailing off the Coast Of Maine, I thought I would put a link on here allowing people to see what the Coast of Maine looks like as I have some pictures on my website.

As for sailing, I have never got into that, but I have lobstered quite a bit, and I have family that lobsters. The pictures are small unfortunately (It needs to be updated) but hopefully you will enjoy this often unseen section of my website.

Coastal Maine Pictures
 
Bailing wire boats

I don't know much about boats though I harbour a keen latent interest in someday aquiring one. Maybe when I empty the nest of all them hungry mouths. I couldn't pass on the opportunity to make a comment or two. First off, it looks to me like there has been a lot of good advice given already. Much of my boating experiance has been gotten on Michigans Lake Superior. Not a forgiving lake for the careless or casual boaters. It seems like nearly every year some fools go out and drown themselves out there. The locals call it the "Law of Natural Selection". I am amazed by what people do. Out 5 miles in bad weather in a 14 ft. row boat trying to pull in gill nets. Boat way overloaded with gear and expired deer from a hunting trip along the coast in November, tried to beat a storm. The storm won. Weve had a few close calls ourselves. Got caught in a few storms and was very glad to be in a twin v-8 powered 26 fter. with radar and a good bilge system. Prior to upgrading to that boat my brother-in-law was of the casual boater class. After sinking a 17 fter. twice, close to shore,(storms) he upgraded to the nicer boat. I was with him on one of those sinkings and I can tell you, we were both praying.
At least now we have more empties in the cylinder of our version of Russian roulette. Just one comment on the choice of wood. I think white oak will stain black if water does get into it. I'm not sure about cypress but seeing as how it grows in water I wouldn't think it stains. Last but not least. I remember reading somewhere where Jaque Custo was only twice fearful of drowning on the water. Once in Lake Michigan and once in Lake Superior.:D
 
The water is no place to take short cuts. My ex-wife, and my current wife, both lost loved ones to the water. Everyday we got friends and family out their fishing...commercial fishing...the most dangerous occupation there is.

If you ever get the chance, stop by Glocester Mass and check out the Fisherman's Memorial. There is a pile of names on that chunk of granite my friends. When you know some of the names, their faces, their ages...well it's kind of somber to say the least.

Even now I build some of the greatest yachts ever to sail the seas, and yet there is not a moment during construction that I do not realize this very boat, could literally take on 20 foot seas and have lives depending upon its construction.
 
not trying to hi jack a thread but ?

seeun as how vaughn has gathered the boat folks here i have a question on the boat my brother ran across.. its old stainless steel with some cast alum caps but the suport ribs are stainless as well its a 12' flat with a semi v bow any ideas as to its maker or manufacturer no names on it or no.s anywhere??? hope this isnt outa line vaughn thanks for any advice on this mystery.. pm for replys so as to not detur from vaughns posting.. thanks
 
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