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Side plank seam repair

Framing, planking and fairing. Repair, or reconstruction. If it's hull related, you'll find it here.

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chris.nackers
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Side plank seam repair

Post by chris.nackers » Wed Oct 14, 2020 9:46 am

Hello all,

Been reading various posts on here. Trying to understand how best to repair/refinish these seams. I do have the "Wooden Runabout Restoration Guide" but that seems really deal with full replacement (new boards) as opposed to repairs.

What i think is appropriate is to sand down, use famowood to fill in the seams, and then stain, seal, and varnish?

Not sure how much sanding i really need to do? Can you really patch these areas, or do i need to sand everything above waterline and redo?
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Re: Side plank seam repair

Post by Bilge Rat » Thu Oct 15, 2020 8:09 am

Appears to be either some plank movement going on or a drying out of the planks. Either is to be expected in a 73 year old boat, whether it's used every season or put in non-climate controlled storage.

So what to do with it? Mahogany colored Famowood is a recommended filler for some screw holes, dings and shallow gouges because it will stain up pretty close to the wood, but it will not tolerate any plank movement and will just spit out or crumble. Some would say to glue in (not with epoxy) splines of mahogany to fill the gaps, plane flush with the planks and sand and finish accordingly. May require some routing of the gaps to make them uniform for the splines. Some say to get to the root of any plank movement by verifying the condition of frames (look for broken frames, rot or long dimension cracks in the frames from screws) replace, repair and refasten the planks and proceed with finishing. There are merits to both, but given the boat's age, frames will be failing as they were never meant to last 73 years. Also, the original silicon bronze screws can deteriorate with age and become brittle and snap, leaving not much holding the planks on. If you dig out the plank bungs and try tightening up the screws, you will no doubt find ones that just spin, indicating a broken screw or the frame no longer able to hold the screw.

If it were my boat, I would at least begin looking deeper into frame condition, maybe remove some of the worst looking planks and go from there. As a note, the bottom planks are the most important in the structure as rot of planks and frames there can cause major leaks, opening up of the seams while underway and even sink the boat - it's been known to happen.
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Re: Side plank seam repair

Post by chris.nackers » Thu Oct 15, 2020 8:32 am

Thanks.

The whole bottom is a 5200 bottom. It all looked good when I had the floors out and cleaned up the bilge a few weeks ago. Not sure when the topside has been touched.

Guess I’ll work to pull the worst looking plank and see what’s underneath, and go from there. Good to know famowood isn’t the right solution for fixing those gaps.

My best guess is that the boat sat for a number of years recently and dried out. Seems like a restoration wasn’t done super long ago.
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Re: Side plank seam repair

Post by mbigpops » Thu Oct 15, 2020 8:52 am

The by the book repair would be to strip and remove all of the topside planks, inspect all frames and if good plug all the screw holes with dowels.

Then CPES back side of planks and exposed frame surfaces.

After that re-install the planks tight with all new fasteners.

You will end up with a gap under the rub rail which would be filled with new wood.

Probably would not use 5200 since they are old planks that may need to be replaced.

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Re: Side plank seam repair

Post by chris.nackers » Thu Oct 15, 2020 1:57 pm

What's the best stripper to get the varnish off and not kill myself in the process :)
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Re: Side plank seam repair

Post by mbigpops » Thu Oct 15, 2020 5:54 pm

I used Klean Strip. It is a gel and stays in place pretty well.

It may take multiple applications to get down to bare wood. You can apply it with a cheap chip brush. Only stroke in one direction. IF you go in both directions you can speed up the evaporation process and reduce the effectiveness.

A natural bristle brush will help with removing the last remaining stain residual.

Obviously work in a well ventilated area with gloves and a respirator.

Mark
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Re: Side plank seam repair

Post by kiitos » Fri Oct 16, 2020 5:41 am

Check the carriage bolts that fasten the frames to the chines. You can do this from the bilge by trying to tighten the nuts. If the nuts seem to tighten the carriage bolts are okay but if they seem to spin the carriage bolts are broken and need to be replaced. Since most of these bolts are below the waterline the replacement won't damage any of the varnished surfaces. These bolts make a big impact on the stiffness of the hull.
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Re: Side plank seam repair

Post by chris.nackers » Fri Jan 01, 2021 11:13 pm

So tearing into this, quite literally. My splash rails are bedded in 5200 so removing them pretty much destroyed the planks underneath.

Also the main plank I need to repair, which is the 2nd plank after the chine, the bottom edge was bedded in 5200 from the bottom repair whenever that was. That’s close to the water line, is that a normal procedure? Just want to know for when I put the new planks in. Although I would think boat life or something would be better in case that plank ever needs to come out again.
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Jim Godlewski
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Re: Side plank seam repair

Post by Jim Godlewski » Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:28 am

OK, From one garage restorer to another. From what I'm gathering the bottom topside plank is bedded to the newer bottom (which it should be)and hopefully a new plank like the bottom wood. Please tell me yes...
I highly recommend replacing all the topside planks since your right there. You can also get a good look at any side frames that may need to be replaced. Its just a little more time and money although when your finished with it will look good and last. I also highly recommend following Don's book on what procedure and materials to use for side planks. You won't regret it. I have yet to have to remove a bedded plank in 10 years but if I do I will router it out.
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Re: Side plank seam repair

Post by chris.nackers » Sun Jan 10, 2021 3:29 pm

Jim Godlewski wrote:
Sun Jan 10, 2021 9:28 am
OK, From one garage restorer to another. From what I'm gathering the bottom topside plank is bedded to the newer bottom (which it should be)and hopefully a new plank like the bottom wood. Please tell me yes...
I highly recommend replacing all the topside planks since your right there. You can also get a good look at any side frames that may need to be replaced. Its just a little more time and money although when your finished with it will look good and last. I also highly recommend following Don's book on what procedure and materials to use for side planks. You won't regret it. I have yet to have to remove a bedded plank in 10 years but if I do I will router it out.
Correct, that's my assumption as well that when the bottom was done (with new wood hopefully) that's why the 2nd plank was bedded. It appears that the 1st and 2nd topside planks from the top have 5200 in the gap as well. I'm getting closer to just replacing all of them, i just need to figure out the cost. I'm noticing the planks are very brittle, even with great care popping bungs, there are still chipping in some places. I was planning on routing all the seams with a 1/8" bit to create a new flush surface and clean out all the years of crap in the seams.

I plan to route the edge of the 1st strake (from chine) to clean up the 5200 and make a new clean surface. I'm routing the seams on the transom in order to remove those planks to replace. I just finished building the router jig last night. I routed a couple seams, but the route wiggled a little bit, so i realized it really HAS to ride on a rail, you can just ride against the edge of a battan strip.

I intend to inpsect all the topside frames, and will most likely just replace the battan strips as i see no reason to drill and dowel those.

I've read Don's book and re-read several chapters. Lots of great info, i just wonder sometimes if that's the end all be all way to do things, in other words I'm not trying to build a 1st show boat. I just want something i can use, that's done properly and looks good. Alas, always decisions to make!

Appreciate the insight!
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Re: Side plank seam repair

Post by Jim Godlewski » Sun Jan 10, 2021 8:23 pm

I plan to route the edge of the 1st strake (from chine) to clean up the 5200 and make a new clean surface. I'm routing the seams on the transom in order to remove those planks to replace. I just finished building the router jig last night. I routed a couple seams, but the route wiggled a little bit, so i realized it really HAS to ride on a rail, you can just ride against the edge of a battan strip.


[/quote]

This may be a little late but I had a similar situation on my current project. A new bottom was installed with one new topside plank which was bedded with 5200 to the next upper old plank. I used a utility knife and cut the joint to remove the old plank. Once I have the old plank removed I can sand the top edge of the first plank so I can follow cut from that edge. It just needs to be sanded so it flows smooth from front to back. I will be replanking the entire boat with African Mahogany. The attached photo is how we routed the new topside planks on our previous restoration. Replanking the entire side is the way to go in my opinion.
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1956 17 Sportsman CC-17-2310
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chris.nackers
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Re: Side plank seam repair

Post by chris.nackers » Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:25 am

Ah, nice. That bracket wouldn't be too hard to build.
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Re: Side plank seam repair

Post by chris.nackers » Tue Feb 16, 2021 3:41 pm

I posted a ton of pics in my restoration thread, but i ultimately decided to just replank it. Just easier and not that much money for the wood in comparison to everything else :)
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