Last year I purchased a wooden McKenzie style drift boat and beginning this fall hubby and I plan to give her a makeover. Here to learn all we can to make my baby the best she can be. Will post photos as soon as I can figure out how to do so from the iPad. She was built in 1992 and is in pretty good shape just want the make it pretty. My husband says I need to let it dry out a bit before we can start, I have her out on the river fishing every chance I get. So where to start this project?

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Cheri, first of all welcome aboard. Where in the heck is Arkieland? I approved your membership and noticed your unusual address.

The first step is to post pictures. Just above and to the left of the box where you type in replies is an icon that looks like a small blue and white picture. Click on that to start. You will see a box pop up that says ADD IMAGE, within the box you can choose either; From my computer or From a URL. Since you are coming from your iPad you will choose From my computer.

Below those choice tabs is the word File and next to it a text box or a place to enter text. Next to that is an elipse with: Browse... Click on Browse and then find the file on your iPad where the photo you want to post is located.

Click on the photo you want to post and select it. On my Mac the background behind the text or numbers that refer to the photo you want turns blue. When I double click on the selection it will show up in the text box I mentioned. It will now load to the web site, when the Okay button lights up you can now decide if you want the picture placed to the left, center or right. You can also choose to reduce the width if it is to big. If you want to have a clear "border" around your picture you can select the "padding", 10 or 15 pixels will give you a small "clear" border. You don't have to resize it or add padding but if you ever want to you will know how to. You can add numerous pictures by repeating the process. If you reach the limit you can add another post and more pictures.

Pictures of the interior, exterior, the bottom, the frames or ribs and some overall views will be helpful so we can see what is going on.

When I was at Hancock Fabrics being some sewing accessories so I could add some straps to my boat cover I saw a hand little boat rot discovery tool. It was located in the sewing notions area. It was also know as an awl. A rot discovery tool is handy for checking all the hard to reach areas where moisture has allowed  moisture to be retained and the correct conditions for appropriate bacteria to form and consume or rot the wood.

Such places are commonly along the frames / ribs that run across the bottom of your boat. The plywood along those ribs and especially in the rear or stern of your boat if it has been stored with the bow of the boat held up higher than the stern thus allowing water to settle. Old leaves and other detrius are often left in boats that have been used for awhile. Moisture can also collect there.

So to put this in a nutshell, take lots of pictures, top bottom, sides, inside and while you are at it take a small sharp object and pole around to see if the wood is solid, spongy or just plain rotten. Post the pictures and tell us what you found. Secondly there are numerous folks that have purchased boats and gone through the same process so the search function is a handy method to read all about other folks adventures. The hard part is to get the search box to tell you what you want. A sentence or phrase will get you more than just a word. For example I just tried "how do I rebuild my boat? and Troy Nichols and his boat restoration saga popped up.

I have been helping a fellow here in Spokane to rebuild his boat. He hasn't figured out how to post pictures yet but hopefully I get him going soon. We have so far done an inspection of his wood and found it to be solid other than at the transom. He has sanded the outside of his Douglas fir boat and I have applied fiberglass cloth and epoxy to keep the wood form suffering further checking, uneven drying and opening of the Douglas Fir, a common malady. He removed the UHMW sheet from the bottom, patched all the holes from the screws, sanded it and I applied fiberglass cloth and epoxy. Then he got to sand it and I applied more epoxy with filler. He sanded some more and I applied more epoxy with graphite.

The bottom line is almost any boat is repairable, it is how much money, time and effort you want to expend. We are a very helpful bunch of folks and like to help out. Feel free to ask questions and if you have the chance a wonderful education on drift boats can be had by reading the previous posts. Steve, the guy I am helping out is always remarking to me about something new he has learned from his reading.

Good luck and enjoy the process.

Rick Newman

Thanks Rick! We are in northwest Arkansas by way of So Calif. Found the link to add photos but it is grayed out and won't let me add. When I can get to a computer I will add some pictures soon. We have done a survey and have not found any soft spots. The are some chunk gouges in the bottom that need to be cared for and we would like to revarnish wood interior and repaint the hull. Previous owner slapped a runny coat of varnish over the whole interior and also took out original seats to add a center seat. We have put the original seats back in but want to do the cosmetics right before there is damage. All in all I don't thnk she is in that bad of shape. Promise to get pictures up soon.
Just emailed pictures to this address per the site.

2ea0u8g5tu5054892149@westcoastwoodenboats.ning.com
Pictures are under my photos in profile
Rick we obtained the plans and I dug them out last night. Plans are by a C. Tracy O'Brien and is called a headwater 14. And she is a stitch and glue. I will look up AJ's post. Thank you!

Great, it would be my presumption that you can then do a half lap splice and then replace the damaged filet and be good as new. A heat gun and putty knife will be handy for heating up and removing the old epoxy. Perhaps not pleasant but possible. I am assuming that the plywood that was damaged, if it wasn't damaged too extensively perhaps you can cleanup the area and place a chunk of wood rather than plywood.

You might be able to avoid a few days of heat and be back fishing soon.

Do you remember if you applied fiberglass tape to the outside of the chine? I ask because it is one way that stitch and glue boat protect that area. Perhaps the addition of more fiberglass tape and epoxy placed along the chine will reduce future damage.

Rick N

Hi and welcome,

seeing those chunks from the outer chine area makes me think that theres no glass there at all.Hard to see,does it look like theres any there Cheri?Hard to imagine that a stitch and glue boat doesn't have any glass on the outer chine.Maybe its just light glass.

tungsten, here's a link to a Tracy O'Brien discussion of building a stitch and glue hull.

http://www.oldwharf.com/ow_tracyobrien.html 

His drawings don't show much outside reinforcement. Perhaps his plans document the same thing.

Rick Newman

We didn't build the boat so not sure of anything under the paint. There is glass on the inside bottom seam. We will know more when we can get it turned over and sanded down. For the summer I think I will slap some duct tape on the spots and take her fishing.

You should be able to see glass in those chunks(dents),little frays of glass should be very visible.

If there is no glass then the sides must be screwed or nailed to the floor.

Either way I'd at least get some goo in those areas to stop water from getting in.With glass and goo everywhere else water will have a hard time evaporating out.

I've never seen one quite like that.  Very interesting design, I'm glad she found a good home!  Enjoy the re-finish, Cheri, and keep us updated with photos.

Greg

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