Wood Hull

lbswaff · Post by **lbswaff** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 7:12 pm

I have heard that leaving a wood boat out of the water is bad for the boat and will ruin her. I plan on having her out of the water for about 2 years while I completly redue her. Is that too long or will she be fine?

gjrylands · Post by **gjrylands** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 8:58 pm

My 31' Trojan was out of the water for 1 1/2 years when I did major work on her. The work I did was all above the water line. When I launched her after the lay-up there were no problems, other then replacing the impellers in both raw water pumps. The long lay-up dried them out, and when the engines fired up the vanes on the impellers let loose.

Mine was a plywood hull. If you have a plank hull the boat will need to soak for a day; more or less. The planks absorb water and expand. This seals the joints and makes the boat water tight. When my yard launches a plank boat it is scheduled to be the last one launched that day. They lower the boat so it just starts to float. The boat is still being supported by the slings and remains that way until the following morning. Usually by then the planks have expanded enough so the boat can float on its own. The boat can then be moved to a slip. If the bilge pumps can't keep up additional pumps are added. Eventually the planks tighten up and the boat will be high and dry.

You should be able to lay-up for 2 years with out a problem, providing the hull is in sound condition.

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:23 pm

gjrylands wrote:Mine was a plywood hull. If you have a plank hull the boat will need to soak for a day; more or less. The planks absorb water and expand. This seals the joints and makes the boat water tight. When my yard launches a plank boat it is scheduled to be the last one launched that day. They lower the boat so it just starts to float. The boat is still being supported by the slings and remains that way until the following morning.

A trick I've seen to slow down the water getting in betwen the planks is to put down sawdust on the the water's surface surrounding the boat. That will help to plug the voids and reduce the load on the pumps.

gjrylands · Post by **gjrylands** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:59 pm

ready123 wrote:A trick I've seen to slow down the water getting in betwen the planks is to put down sawdust on the the water's surface surrounding the boat. That will help to plug the voids and reduce the load on the pumps.

I've heard that wise tale also, and don't buy it. All it does is make a mess of the harbor. The sawdust floats on water. Only the seam right at the water line is going to be in contact with the sawdust All the rest are well below the water where the sawdust can't get. So what good is that going to do?

I've heard of pre-wetting the inside of the hull to try to get the planks to swell before launching. OK, I might by that one. But then I've sean others that run a hose in the and leave it run. When you see the water runnig out of the seams you would sware the the boat could never float. I saw one boat that ran the water all night. During the night the planks sealed, the boat filled with water until the weight blew out a plank. Granted, the boat wasn't in the best of shape. The screws holding the plank broke or probably were broken, and the plank let loose. Maybe he was fortunate to have it let loose on the hard rather then in the blue.

ready123 · Post by **ready123** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 11:28 pm

gjrylands wrote:
ready123 wrote:A trick I've seen to slow down the water getting in betwen the planks is to put down sawdust on the the water's surface surrounding the boat. That will help to plug the voids and reduce the load on the pumps.
I've heard that wise tale also, and don't buy it. All it does is make a mess of the harbor. The sawdust floats on water. Only the seam right at the water line is going to be in contact with the sawdust All the rest are well below the water where the sawdust can't get. So what good is that going to do?

Not as simple as that... you are ignoring a number of things, as the dust absorbs water it is more able to sink. The amount of water flow into the boat tends to draw down from the surface along the side of the boat due to surface tension on hull/water interface. I guess you needed to be there to see it in action.

This was a very leaky boat....

1967 seavoyager · Post by **1967 seavoyager** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 3:02 am

I've been out 7 years. It was out 10 years when i got it. Slick Seam it real good before you relaunch & it'll soak up ok.

Slick Seam is on page 219 of the West Marine Catalog

gjrylands · Post by **gjrylands** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 9:44 am

Take a look in the Runabout Owners Group and check out "My 1956 Trojan Sea Queen restoration project." This is what can be done to an old boat. I think you will agree that keeping the boat out of the water didnâ€™t hurt the boat. Neglect and lack of maintenance did.

lbswaff wrote:I have heard that leaving a wood boat out of the water is bad for the boat and will ruin her. I plan on having her out of the water for about 2 years while I completly redue her. Is that too long or will she be fine?

Years ago there was always a section of the boatyard that was dedicated to dieing or dead boats; "the graveyard". Many of the old wood hulls were not seaworthy enough to be launched. They would be set aside with good intentions, thinking that they would be repaired and launched. Then, for lack of time, money, or ability they were neglected. This is what I think was meant when you were told that leaving a boat out of water was bad for them.

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