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how do i repair a canvas covered wooden hull ??/?


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hi. iv lifted the floor in a 40 ft by 9 ish foot canvas covered wooden boat. there was a toilet on board and it has leaked causing the wood inside the boat to rot. (it was soaking i took a chisle to it and it just scraped off. about a 2ft section needs repaired. the canvas is still in place. whats the best way of doin this? obv i want it as solid as can be. any help would be much appreciated

2017-04-05 13.06.12.jpg

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welcome to the world of traditional boat building and subsequent repairing.

there is only one proper answer - cut out all rotten wood and fit new planks, frames and floors (noting that boat floors are not the thing you stand on).

why was the boat covered in canvas?  was this a 'resurfacing' device to cover up bad wood (rot) or was it the original building method?

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hi thanks for your replies. the whole boat is timber frame with ply covered in canvas. with canvas has a adhesive on the ply side and paint on top side. binding it together. it makes a solid hard type of finish the boat is from the 60s and after a bit of research this is how some boats were made.  i do not have a picture of internals. boat is far from me . its only the ply that has rotted the frame is in great condition. i think i should def cut out the section  reply and re canvas but how would i go about making this watertight? thanks 

paul

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Are you sure it's canvas, not a woven glass cloth? You can repair glass sheathed ply hulls, and if the ply is rotten,. remove it, replaced, and resheath. As said, west systems or sp systems are common epoxy brands and the former has many good guides on their website.

Daniel

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I recall that before the days of epoxy, or of polyester resin, sheathing a wooden hull with canvas was an accepted boat-building method, although I seem to remember it was usually applied to planked heavy duty hulls such as fishing boats.   

Many early fast semi-displacement hulls before the days of plywood were 'moulded' from alternate layers of thin planks (or thick veneers) and canvas.  I believe that was how naval service boats were built in Edwardian days and also the high-speed steam launch Consuta. 

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47 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

I recall that before the days of epoxy, or of polyester resin, sheathing a wooden hull with canvas was an accepted boat-building method, although I seem to remember it was usually applied to planked heavy duty hulls such as fishing boats.   ...

Fair enough. I have heard it used for cabins, but suppose it's not at all unlikely to have been used for hulls too.

47 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

...high-speed steam launch Consuta. 

Yes. As I understand, Consuta was the first boat built from what we might call plywood, which as you say was from very thick veneers by modern standards. These where stiched together with copper wire, due to there being no suitable glues, likely with calico and rubber solution between them. Consuta videbuntur is sLatin for sewn together.

 

Daniel

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42 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

well, I have learnt something new today, thanks Dan.  :cheers:

Except it's pretty odd Latin.  Consuta does, indeed mean "things sewn together", but I've no idea why videbuntur is added.  That simply means "they will be seen".  

Off topic, but if anyone is interested in novel methods of construction using plywood, they should go to the V&A where there's a really interesting exhibition on at the moment.

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I've googled "consuta" boat construction and discovered that it's a method of stitching wooden pieces together to form a hull.

The Minoans, back in the Bronze Age, used a similar method to make their boats.  They also added a waterproof layer of woven material impregnated with resin and beef fat.

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27 minutes ago, koukouvagia said:

Except it's pretty odd Latin.  Consuta does, indeed mean "things sewn together", but I've no idea why videbuntur is added.  That simply means "they will be seen".  

Not sure, I knew the boats name was in reference to the sewing, and looking on Consutas website it just says 'Consuta means sewn together' but another page I read about the boat used the second word.

I have no understanding of Latin all, just repeating what I said.

On the flipside, less words to remember.

 

Daniel

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hi im pretty sure its canvas..so . im going to cut out the rotten section. and the canvas. replace rotten wood with marine ply?/?/?/ screw and fix. fill edges with epoxy resin. then do a few layers of epoxy and waterproof canvas???? binding the 2 together. sand lightly then apply ant foul paint. does this sound ok??? i suppose its kinda whats already there.

paul

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43 minutes ago, paulmag said:

hi im pretty sure its canvas..so . im going to cut out the rotten section. and the canvas. replace rotten wood with marine ply?/?/?/ screw and fix. fill edges with epoxy resin. then do a few layers of epoxy and waterproof canvas???? binding the 2 together. sand lightly then apply ant foul paint. does this sound ok??? i suppose its kinda whats already there.

paul

That does sound like a plan. Don't be surprised if the bit you end up repairing is bigger than your original two foot - a lot bigger. Boats are good at that kind of nasty surprise

Richard

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