Thread: 1960's seacraft restoration

I don't think you'll be pleased with acrylics, though in some places it's getting difficult to find anything else. If you do use acrylic, then primer is a must and probably lots of it. In fact, lots of primer no matter which type of paint you use, will likely be necessary.

Primer does a number of things, besides improve the bond between the topcoat and the substrate. Topcoats offers the things that primer can't (likely moisture resistance).

When it's time to put the topcoats on, use a super high gloss as the first coats. If you want a satin or flat finish, then make this your last coat only. The reason is because gloss paint has the best moisture resistance and flat paint will actually absorb moisture. Of the single part paints, I prefer the modified polyurethane alkyds. They're generally harder, more durable and have better gloss.

In most cases oil contamination is found along seams, through penatrations (screw holes, cutouts, etc.) and defects in the plywood, not through the veneers themselves. If you keep after the boat, clean out the bilge, seal holes, change leaking gaskets fairly promptly, then you'll have few worries. If you on the other hand, let a pool of oil and gas lay in the bilge for a year or two, you be back here crying about oil soaked planks.

The easiest way to answer questions is to give yourself honest answers about the boat. Will you offer the boat reasonable care, keep it clean, dry and under cover when not in use? If so, you can use pretty delicate finishes. If you don't hink you can keep the boat that well and exspect it to fill with rain water from time to time, live outside on it's trailer in the sun, winter and summer and maybe get a tuneup every few of years, then you should strongly consider dipping the boat in plastic goo and hoping it will save you from yourself.

Thanks *again* PAR! Hope you're not too annoyed with all my questions. When its finished, i'd be out on the water for a day at a time at most, and once home, would be pedantic about draining any water that has entered the hull and wiping out any moisture/oil etc with rags. The boat will be kept undercover when not in use, and everything maintained regularly to keep the old girl alive. The reason I ask about the affect of oil from inside the hull upon the epoxy/glass exterior- If I epoxy seal and glass the exterior now (not having steamed or sanded the interior) and turn the hull the right way up, then started work on the interior (sand, steam etc then paint with PU paint) would the steam cause any oil from the inside to travel through to the outside of the hull and ruin all my work with the epoxy and glass? Will the heat or moisture from steaming inside the hull damage the epoxy/glass on the outside? Thanks

Chris

Do the steaming operations and any caustic cleaning before the epoxy and 'glassing. Not that I don't think you'll work neat, but chemicals and steam can leach through most things. More importantly, the steam will be well above boiling and this temperature dramatically weakens epoxy. Rather then risk any issues, do the nasty stuff before you 'glass the boat.

Ok i'm all set then =) I'll see what kind of steam source I can find this afternoon at the hardware store, will keep you updated! Thanks!

Chris

Ok here's the latest progress shots! I stood her on side on some tyres, degreased and scrubbed internally and hosed out, then sucked out all the water with a wet n dry vac, worked a treat. I'm now scraping out all the old paint with help from the heat gun, i think its coming along really well and am very happy with the condition of the ply.

Chris

Looking good...nice wheels; my boat doesn't have wheels

You must surely be surprised at how well she is coming up without any surgery. Those surfaces look quite serviceable.

Haha thanks Rob, are you talking about the wheels the boat is sitting on, or the wheels on the blue money pit? =P My F100 and Bronco are my other 2 constant works in progress, a boat helps break the monotony! I don't know much about timber boats, and I bought it on impulse, knowing it had oil sitting in the bilge. I have a bad habit of looking at things and imagining the end product, but not worrying too much about the current state. I think I've been very lucky with Ricochet, using the right (maybe not right.. but suitable) techniques has definitely made things a lot easier. And everyones help and guidance has been invaluable! I think I may have come across her at the right time, much longer left in the state she was and I think real problems may have taken over. Its tedious scraping every internal surface, but so far has worked really well. I have images in my head of her completed sitting on a rebuilt trailer behind the F100 on a lovely summer day in Perth =P That keeps me going.

Chris

Yep, that doesn't look so bad at all. I've cursed over worse. You don't have to go crazy in the areas where the paint seems well stuck. If it's well stuck, then it will make a good base for more paint, just smooth out any defects and edges and prime it up. Of course the oil affected areas should be cleaned as best as you can. On jobs like this I'd resort to a media blaster and hit the paint with soda ash. It doesn't hurt the wood and it's fast. Naturally, most don't have access to blasting equipment, but it can be rented if you have a fairly big compressor to run it. Dry ice blasting would be another good option that doesn't hurt the wood.

Thanks for that PAR! Yeah most of the internal paint is in a bad way and coming off without too much trouble. Unfortunately i'm doing this in a small backyard and don't really have the premises to do any blasting, but am quite happy with the scraping progress and will finish that off by hand sanding the lot. I'll soon be hitting the paint shops to find a good primer and PU paint for the interior. Will keep you all posted as always!

Chris

You haven't got to the worst bit yet ... eventually you'll have to replicate the name painted on her bum

Richard

Have the graphics done at a sign shop with a vinyl cutter. Trust me this is such a better way to go. Unless she's got a substantial history, you could call her whatever you like. "Butt Scratch Fever", "WooHaa", "Bain of My Existence", "Woodheap", "Splinters" or anything you want.

I was actually thinking of re naming her.. Is this bad luck or anything? =P

Well, this can be a subject of some controversy. I've renamed boats with no ill effects, though others have done the same and had hell befall them shortly thereafter. There are several methods of renaming a boat that will "appease" the boat name gods, so that no harm will come to you or your boat. I will not go it to all of them, because I have a local supply of prepubescent virgin pee (no kidding), but you be the judge of the steps you have to take in your appeasement routine.

Apparently it's not bad luck to change a boat's name if you also change the colour, or so the theory goes.

By the way, 'Splinters' is a good name for a wooden boat, but it'as already been taken.

Go here http://ssboc.com.au/?page_id=4 if you need inspiration. Some lovely boats.