Athaena - Rot near the chine

[Athaena]

Does she have the corner post type chines which the WW does?

No idea, but I hope it's not going to be necessary to remove the whole chine!

I've got a (very good) shipwright coming to have a look, I'll see what he says and go from there.

Chris

[Athaena]

Thought I'd provide a quick update for those interested...

Having had lots of excellent advice, I was still feeling a bit nervous about launching my boat building career by cutting what would be quite a large hole in my hull. Everyone I'd asked locally suggested the same chap as the man locally to get hold of to do the work, he offered to do the work for a price I could manage. Feeling a bit of a "wooden boat sellout" not doing the work myself but ...



As you can see work has started, I was expecting a hole around that height but it goes about twice as far aft as I was expecting. However looks like it's cut back into good ply on the sides now. Here's a closer shot...



Other than the problem chine, which you can see has been chopped out, the other frames all seem to be good and solid.

Finally, here's a close up of the chine construction, you can see it's made up of three planks, stepped in the photo, which are shaped to form the chine.



Although I was expecting it, the hole was still quite a shock to the system. I'm glad I've got someone who knows what they are doing working on the boat, if I was nervous before I'd have been a wreck by the time I'd cut a hole that size! Next time round at least I'll have seen it being done

Chris

[Athaena]

What a difference a day makes! Yesterday, I was feeling a bit down and wondering what I'd gotten myself into. Today, a very different scene greeted me compared with last weeks larger than expected hole.

All patched up again and looking great...


A close up ...


The replacement chine...


Now looks almost identical to the one next door...


The chine outside, note the plugged hole on the curve...


The lines are perfect...


I was speechless for sometime, then I was a real pain dragging half the boatyard over to look at my boat. I am delighted.

Work is progressing well on the transom too...

Outside...


Inside...


After some investigation (inside and outside the hull) the area on the underside of the hull by the keel just doesn't seem to be rotted timber.

This has been sanded back, investigated and now filled.



I've spent quite some time poking around this area and I'm happy with the decision just to fill it. If it does turn into a problem it can be sorted next winter, for now I'll just keep an eye on it.

:D:D

Chris

[helenrose]

That looks first class,a weight off your mind i bet.

chris

[Athaena]

Feeling a lot happier . There's only one problem area left that I know of now....

At some point previously someone has applied a bead of bathroom sealant *inside* the forecabin to stop water leaking into the cabin down the sides of the samson post. Unfortunately that sealant did exactly what you'd expect and trapped water in the gap between the post and deck.

I started exploring round the samson post today...

Having poked through the surface, there's pretty much a void where the plywood should have been.


Outside the area is covered by the bowsprit and samson post. Here's an overview of the foredeck taken when I was buying the boat...


Poking around today revealed the void comes right through...


Everything other than the ply and the immediate area of the samson post seems sound. Obviously the samson post is rather important, so I plan to replace it. It is stepped on the keel/stem. The thinking at the moment is to take out the post and cut back to good wood all round. The deck teak seems fine so I plan to do this from below and epoxy in new wood. Then fit a new oak samson post.

I was also considering putting a brass/bronze rod horizontally through the fork at the aft end of the bowsprit right through the new post so that these are fastened together mechanically. The rear of the bowsprit would then be supported by the samson post pushing against the keel. That way the bowsprit, samson post, keel/stem and bobstay would all be working together and the deck is removed from any potential load bearing.

Any comments or advice as always gratefully received

Chris