Any thoughts/experience with a hull shape or material for getting through
small-scale ice? We have about a mile to travel; occasionally a skim of
ice forms overnight (OK, today it was more than a skim).

We've always used a 14x4' flatbottomed skiff, of ply/epoxy, lots of glass
built up on the chines. The bow lifts up onto the ice, and breaks through
at the chines. The motor then cuts a third channel down the middle. This
works, but backing up can be tough, and slight variations in thickness can
cause control problems.

Also, props - small motor props (OMC, Tohatsu 8's) do OK with the ice, but
the Yamaha 25's prop got chewed to bits yesterday. Any experience with
Pirhanha's in the ice?

Does anyone have a recomended glue for sticking down patches and fittings on
an older avon inflatable. ( its a 9ft, inflates in two halves,has a part
wooden board bottom that comes out and is three boards on a single timber
runner.) Im also hoping to discover what the best varnish would be to touch
up the boards.

I also need to drill holes in my Shetland transome to bolt the outboard on,
mainly for security but also for stability. Is there an altertative to the
expensive bolts that are sold in Chandlers, surely any stainless steel bolt
would be oK in seawater.

Bob

"Bob Black" wrote in message
...
Does anyone have a recomended glue for sticking down patches and fittings
on
an older avon inflatable. ( its a 9ft, inflates in two halves,has a part

You could ask Avon. They will likely recommend the 2 part Hypalon glues
(these glues have a limited shelf life, but do stick better than the 1 part
ones found in repair kits).

I also need to drill holes in my Shetland transome to bolt the outboard
on,
mainly for security but also for stability. Is there an altertative to the
expensive bolts that are sold in Chandlers, surely any stainless steel
bolt
would be oK in seawater.

Yes, I think any sort of decent hardware store stainless bolt will be
similar to what a chandler sells. But be sure to drill your holes, then
coat the holes with epoxy to prevent water intrusion into the plywood
layers.

--
Evan Gatehouse

you'll have to rewrite my email address to get to me
ceilydh AT 3web dot net
(fools the spammers)

"Sal's Dad" wrote in message ...
Any thoughts/experience with a hull shape or material for getting through
small-scale ice? We have about a mile to travel; occasionally a skim of
ice forms overnight (OK, today it was more than a skim).

We've always used a 14x4' flatbottomed skiff, of ply/epoxy, lots of glass
built up on the chines. The bow lifts up onto the ice, and breaks through
at the chines. The motor then cuts a third channel down the middle. This
works, but backing up can be tough, and slight variations in thickness can
cause control problems.

Also, props - small motor props (OMC, Tohatsu 8's) do OK with the ice, but
the Yamaha 25's prop got chewed to bits yesterday. Any experience with
Pirhanha's in the ice?

If you are interested in talking about ice breaking skiffs, talk to my
friend Jon he
http://www.perssonmfg.com
He has built and outfitted skiffs and scows for ice conditions, mostly
retrofitted with metal and such. Make sure you tell him I sent you, he
is a competetor, but we send folks back and fourth as to need.
Scotty from SmallBoats.com

I read a story in a Swedish boating magazine about a near disaster with GRP
hull.
It was a smaller open powered displacement boat. I think the english term i
double ender ?
Anyways, going through quite thin ice the boat started to take in water.
Turned out the ice had
cut holes on both sides of the bow. I guess the bow itself vas to thick.
Some rags reduced the
flow and he could reverse to shore!

/Lars J

A friend told me of an old Boston Whaler used as a yard workboat. At the
end of the season, this was the last boat in the water, used for all kinds
of chores, including breaking/moving ice.

After serious ice duty, they lifted the boat out on davits (or crane?). The
bottom simply peeled away, where the ice had cut it, leaving the foam core
and liner intact.

It makes a tremendous difference whether you've got salt- or fresh-water ice
(we get both kinds). Salt ice is relatively soft - like rotten wood, at
worst; fresh is much sharper and harder, metallic.

Epoxy/glass holds up well in salt ice, but fresh will cut right through it.

....
I read a story in a Swedish boating magazine about a near disaster with
GRP
hull.
It was a smaller open powered displacement boat. I think the english term
i
double ender ?
Anyways, going through quite thin ice the boat started to take in water.
Turned out the ice had
cut holes on both sides of the bow. I guess the bow itself vas to thick.
Some rags reduced the
flow and he could reverse to shore!

/Lars J

"Sal's Dad" wrote in message ...
A friend told me of an old Boston Whaler used as a yard workboat. At the
end of the season, this was the last boat in the water, used for all kinds
of chores, including breaking/moving ice.

After serious ice duty, they lifted the boat out on davits (or crane?). The
bottom simply peeled away, where the ice had cut it, leaving the foam core
and liner intact.

It makes a tremendous difference whether you've got salt- or fresh-water ice
(we get both kinds). Salt ice is relatively soft - like rotten wood, at
worst; fresh is much sharper and harder, metallic.

Epoxy/glass holds up well in salt ice, but fresh will cut right through it.

...
I read a story in a Swedish boating magazine about a near disaster with
GRP
hull.
It was a smaller open powered displacement boat. I think the english term
i
double ender ?
Anyways, going through quite thin ice the boat started to take in water.
Turned out the ice had
cut holes on both sides of the bow. I guess the bow itself vas to thick.
Some rags reduced the
flow and he could reverse to shore!

/Lars J




The boats my friend Jon made were wood boats, with metal retrofit. I
know two of them are being used in salt water at cold area oil rigs.
Scotty

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 03:02:13 -0500, "Sal's Dad"
wrote something
.......and in reply I say!:

An "old boston whaler" with foam core?

(closes coffin and injects the necessary)

A friend told me of an old Boston Whaler used as a yard workboat. At the
end of the season, this was the last boat in the water, used for all kinds
of chores, including breaking/moving ice.

After serious ice duty, they lifted the boat out on davits (or crane?). The
bottom simply peeled away, where the ice had cut it, leaving the foam core
and liner intact.

************************************************** ** sorry
remove ns from my header address to reply via email

I was frightened by the idea of a conspiracy that was
causing it all.
But then I was terrified that maybe there was no plan,
really. Is this unpleasant mess all a mistake?

Yes, the whalers were foam-cored from the first one. One of their print ads in
the sixties showed a boat which had been cut in half. The severed halves were
floating quite nicely and being rowed by a person.

Old Nick wrote:

On Thu, 18 Dec 2003 03:02:13 -0500, "Sal's Dad"
wrote something
......and in reply I say!:

An "old boston whaler" with foam core?

(closes coffin and injects the necessary)

A friend told me of an old Boston Whaler used as a yard workboat. At the
end of the season, this was the last boat in the water, used for all kinds
of chores, including breaking/moving ice.

After serious ice duty, they lifted the boat out on davits (or crane?). The
bottom simply peeled away, where the ice had cut it, leaving the foam core
and liner intact.

************************************************** ** sorry
remove ns from my header address to reply via email

I was frightened by the idea of a conspiracy that was
causing it all.
But then I was terrified that maybe there was no plan,
really. Is this unpleasant mess all a mistake?

On Fri, 19 Dec 2003 13:06:11 GMT, Jim Conlin
wrote something
.......and in reply I say!:

Ok. Interesting. They were rather expensive for their size IIRC. That
may be why.

Yes, the whalers were foam-cored from the first one.

One of their print ads in
the sixties showed a boat which had been cut in half.

Well there you go! They were no dam good after all! G
************************************************** ** sorry
remove ns from my header address to reply via email

I was frightened by the idea of a conspiracy that was
causing it all.
But then I was terrified that maybe there was no plan,
really. Is this unpleasant mess all a mistake?