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Dennis Pogson Dennis Pogson is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 301
Default wooden liveaboard

Bob wrote:
On Mar 6, 7:03 pm, "NE Sailboat" wrote:



A strip plank
construction is easy to saturate with epoxy.
Strip plank construction. Lots of epoxy saturation. Good paint
job. Updated engine, etc. She was beautiful. But even the owner
told me she was a lot of work. He loved her and hated her at the
same time.


What do you mean by "...strip plank construction... with lots of epoxy
saturation....?" I know of carvel and a couple others...... When I
think of a wood boat it does not include epoxy. Ugh, now you have a
plastic boat with wood fibers instead of glass fibers. Do you mean
"cold molding?" Strips of ceadar held together with epoxy that hang
over a firplace? In my humble opinion a wood boat is held together
with bronze and craftmanship................. Arg !
Okay, okay............... I'll go with double hot dipped galvanized.
good enough for a workboat.
Steam Box Bob


Different people mean different things by "strip planking".

Here in the UK it refers to the method used by the East German boatbuilders
when they built so many folkboats in the 1960's-1970's. Also Borrensen of
Denmark when he built those beautiful Dragon Class yachts around the same
period.

AFAIR, the hull consisted of oak or ash frames, 2" by 2", shaped or
laminated, and set at fairly frequent intervals. Narrow strip planking,
usually mahogany, and about 1/2" by 1", was used to cover the framework and
was nailed, using silicon-bronze barbed nails inserted vertically, i.e.
nailing the planks into the previously nailed plank. The planks were
fastened to the frames using silicon-bronze screws, plugged and glued to
match the planking. I am not sure if glue was used along the seams, but the
result was a much tighter and neater finish that traditional carvel
construction. The planks were very narrow, and the finish was varnished, and
impeccable. There was no caulking.

The Folkboat sold in vast quantities in the UK, and many are still sailing.
The cost was around £4500 for a complete sailboat with all equipment. The
Borrensen Dragon was the ultimate in appearance and construction and cost
around £7500 all up. Times have changed!

There is no problem maintaining a wooden boat so long as you don't want to
sail it!

Dennis.