Thread: restoring a clinker hull

Originally Posted by nine fingers

Hi, A mate of mine intends to restore a old clinker craft he has purchased.
I consider it is beyond repair ,but he is keen to restore it to a show condition.

Q1 What size craft is it?

Q2 Does he intend to go on the water with it, or is it 'just for show', i.e. as in a display of some sort?

The boat is about 4 metre long,and has a OLDS & Sons ,single cylinder
inboard marine engine ,which is restoreable.
If he ever gets it finished, it would be on display at Wooden Boat festivals.
regards Nine Fingers.

I'm sure others on this forum would be able to advise you better than I can as I have very little experience with clinker dinghy's (limited to having owned one, long ago, and lost it).

It seems to me that if he replaces the ribs he will have to rivet them to the planks. Then, any planks he replaces he will have to remove and replace the rivets.

My bet would be that he would get a better result, with less cost and effort, building a 'traditional looking' boat from scratch using modern (glued lapstrake ply) construction.

He could then restore the motor and use it in the new boat.

I saw a nice old wooden boat being used as a herb garden the other day. Might be a better proposition...

let old finger short of two hands know that tradition is the keyword

well for some at any rate....but it would be good to find the original timber....build a steam box,buy some nails and roves,get an instruction book or meet some older gentlemen and get right into it.......aaahhh the joys of clinching etc etc...big learning curve perhaps?

I started my apprenticeship building these, I used Cedar and silver ash for smaller boats and mahogany and ash or maple and spotted gum for bigger boats.

Providing it's not too far down the gurgler, they're worth restoring IMO as I know the cost of building these things.
To build a 10-12 footer now, just materials would be 2k plus, even using cheap cedar and ash. 2kg 1" x 16guage nails and 3/8" or 1/2" roves, screws and larger nails for the keel/deadwood, mahogany or rosewood transom, tea tree for stem, stern post and knees plus thwarts with varnish - $2k. Then pay one of those scumbag ripoff merchant shipwrights to build it . Most perpective customers flinch in horror and buy a tupaware POS with a 50hp mercury instead.

The Olds engines were made in Maryborough, Olds is still in existence and may be able to advise or offer spare parts for the restoration of the engine. www.olds.com.au

Cheers