Thread: Finally found a Putt Putt

I see much more then you apparently do in regard to the issues related with this hull. Broken and cracked frames, loose and corroded fasteners, split planks, poor repairs, etc. and this is with the limited images you've provided. It would be wise to have a skilled boat carpenter stop by and look her over or maybe a surveyor.

Par

Thanks for your observations.
So what to do with split planks, cut out and replace or repair with?
Replace fasteners how? and how to determine which require replacing.
Bad repairs remove fibreglass and fillers and ?
I had not noticed any badly damaged frames or does any damage no matter how slight require the replacement of frames or parts of the frame.
If you could treat this as boat repairs for dummies, with the end result a boat that functions, looks nice and is safe and sound, that would be great.
Thanks again for your input.

Nick

You clearly will need some help on several aspects of this project. Some of it you can stumble through well enough, but other areas will probably require some expertise. Lapstrake repairs are easy to someone like me, but most have a deer in the headlights look on their face when you mention this. Of all the build methods, lapstrakes are one of the hardest for the novice to get their head around repair approaches. The first thing that should be done is block up the boat so she's secure and fairly level. This way you can work around her without further damage. Next, check the general condition of the boat, which will require a professional look her over and this person has to be quite familiar with lapstrake builds.

Hello Par

I can do the unskilled stuff like removing paint and non structural repairs, but I would like to be armed with a little knowledge.
For instance does the cracked plank above the waterline need to be replaced or is there a system for repairing ?
Any help would be wonderful.


Nick

The answers you need would fill a book or two and this isn't the right venue for that. Yes, you plank can be repaired as can your ribs and other issues. There are some books on this sort of thing though most of the good information is learned on the job or watching a pro. Without the boat here in my yard, I can't tell you precisely whet you need and a dissertation on the many repair options and possibilities is just unreasonable. The usual option is to hire a survey and see what the "real situation" is with the boat, then make educated decisions based on what you've learned.