Remove chines, save the rest

Greetings to all on this great site.  I am new here, but have had my faithful friend "Troutwood" for 22 years.  It is a 17 1/2' wide bottom from Tatman Boats.  The boat has served me well for over 2 decades.  Thank you Tatman Boats. Last year I got a slow leak and I finally have gotten around to flipping her over and taking off the UHMW bottom to get a good look.  Things were quite a bit worse than I thought.  I was lucky that Randy Dersham guided me to the best way to remove the bottom and scarf together 4x8 sheets to make the new bottom. (Thank you so much Randy for your time).  After the bottom was removed completely I encountered quite a bit of rot in the chine.  It looks like there is no way to save it with epoxy/fillet repairs.  That being said, does anybody have a good suggestion on how to remove the chine without damaging the thin 1/4" wall panels and the frames.  I have a full woodshop so milling out new stock will not be a problem.  Thanks in advance for your suggestions. 

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Permalink Reply by JAY STRUGNELL on September 11, 2011 at 5:39pm
I am not an expert,but when building Your boat the chines were put in after the sides were fastened to the frames,and before the bottom was installed.So; in theory You must have the outside chines off,then find screws that go through the sides into the inside chine.We are talking lots of screws,every two or three inches the entire length of the sides,no screws should go into the frames themseves.All the screws have to come out,hopefully the easy way,with a screwdriver.If not You will need to drill off the screw head or even harder cut them off through the inside chine with a cutoff wheel/die grinder.Anyway removal will be the hardest part.Once You have that done it will be like new construction,if the sides are good,and You can reuse the same screw locations.
Permalink Reply by Frank R on September 12, 2011 at 6:21am

You may want to contact Greg Tatman to see how they were attached.

 

If they were epoxied on, a heat gun will soften the epoxy. You will have to remove as much of the chine as possible first, by cutting or splitting it off so less material is in the way of the heat. This will be tedious but it works.

 

I started with a Wagner unit I bought at a home center. I then bought an industrial heat gun from Grainger's that sped things up quite a bit.

Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on September 12, 2011 at 7:49am

Greg Tatman no longer works in the drift boat industry. Randy Dersham is now the owner of Tatman Boats. If I remember correctly Greg's kit directions did not discuss using epoxy to bed the chine log. My Tatman kit came with 3M 5200 compound which if used there will be a very difficult bond to break unless the wood has rotted away. As you open up that area you will quickly determine the strength and durability of any adhesive used.

 

Frank's suggestion for a heat gun might work real well however even if epoxy wasn't used. It's like a doctor opening up a patient, once he cuts the patient open the truth will be revealed.

 

Good Luck,

 

Rick Newman

Permalink Reply by Randy Dersham on September 12, 2011 at 3:11pm

Greg is a member of WBP and is online from time to time.  Chime in Greg if your watching.

 

I also started with a Tatman kit many years ago.  I did not bed the chine log but did use the 5200 to attach the bottom.  I believe that was the way most were done at the time.  I now glue in the chine log.

 

As you take the boat apart it will be obvious where it become a pain to remove the chine log.  If the side panels have any rot or are soft it might be easiest to remove the bottom four to six inches of side panel the chisel out the remaining chine log from the frames.  Then use a router to cut a wide lap seam to replace the side panel you cut away.  1/8 of an inch removed from the side panel on the boat and the overlapping new plywood will fit in nicely and give you a strong new side to screw through.

Permalink Reply by Ray Cotnoir on September 12, 2011 at 8:22pm

Thank you all for your responses. 

First of all I was happy to hook back up with Greg Tatman.  He was very helpful when I built the boat many moons ago.  As I recall we had put  3M 5200 between the chine and the 1/4" sides.  I believe each frame location had screws through the chines.  As with the bottom of the boat, it looks like some careful chisel work and grinding on the screws will eventually get the job done.  At the time we did not use any epoxy, but I wonder if the heat gun will help to break the seal on the 5200.  Again, thanks to everybody for your input.  Wish me well, I'm going in!

Permalink Reply by Ray Cotnoir on October 4, 2011 at 4:23pm

Old chines finally chiseled out.  Screws backed out.  Scotch poured.  80 grit sanding to smooth out plywood at chine contact area.  Git Rot applied to dark screw holes and punky edges of plywood.  New chines and chine battens scarfed to make 16' stock.  Plywood scarf jig built. (for new bottom).  Go bird hunting, pour Scotch again.  Get back to shop.  So happy to be done chiseling out old wood.  It's all forward from here.  Depression gone!

 

Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on October 5, 2011 at 8:25am

Congrats, you have been inducted into the Royal Oder of the Bottom and Chine Repair Gang. Wear the 80Grit patch with honor. We will be glad to accept the ceremonial bottle of scotch so we may pour a wee dram on each of our boats. Just send the bottle to me first, I'll be sure and send it on!

 

Keep up the good work, send pictures so we know that this all happened, I'll be sure a send a picture of the ceremonial scotch pouring!

 

Happy Waves and Sawdust to you,

 

Rick Newman

Permalink Reply by Ray Cotnoir on October 5, 2011 at 12:22pm

Hi Rick.  Thank you for the induction.  It included a few expletives that are best left in the garage! 

I have been taking a few photo's as the work has been progressing.  I almost thought of "lettin her go" and building new, but it just was not right.  My boat has been a good companion through life's difficult times.  I couldn't let her down.  It is hard to stay motivated when the grouse and woodcock are calling, but thanks to rainy weather, some boat work gets done.  I promise to send you the bottle first if there is any left.

 

Thanks for the laughs,  I needed it.

 

Ray Cotnoir

Moose Jaw Fishing Guide Service

 

 

Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on October 5, 2011 at 1:33pm

Ray, you are most welcome. My drift boat build has gone on for more years than I care to remember. I started with a $1,000 rotten drift boat with a rusted out trailer. Check out the pictures on my page of the conditions I faced. I had no connection to the boat other than $'s. With the surprises I found I felt it better to start from scratch. I watched the Northwestern Craigslists and found a Tatman kit that had never been assembled. I I bought and drug it home 3 plus years ago. Prior to starting assembly my garage/shop was dirty and disorganized. So, clean everything out do some more framing for sheetrock and insulation hanging. A rewiring, insulating, sheetrock, mudding (sp) taping and painting session followed. Finding and organizing my tools was next.

 

However instead of fishing and hunting a reduction in force meant no job. Back to school for five quarters for a hopefully useful IT degree. Also a remodel job at my mother and father in-laws, etc, etc, etc.

 

Finally school was done. Time to get to work on the boat! Turns out prior to my purchase the boat had sat for a year at Tatman. It finally was moved to Bellingham where it sat untouched for three years!

I have been sanding, prepping, fiberglassing/epoxying all the parts prior to assembly which should happen this fall. Maybe another 100 hours. About 200 so far. Oh, I just scrapped out the trailer late this summer so I need to build a new one. Fortunately I have access to a complete shop and metal at the in-laws. Since I still don't have a job but keep myself busy with handyman, eBay, scrapping, painting, carpentry and web pages and search engine optimization I can realize some income to contribute to my wifes.

 

Latest project is a fireplace re-do but I also got the frame edges rounded and a coat of Clear Coat epoxy on one of the sides and lots of the plywood pieces. I am working on my 220 grit patch! Hopefully soon I'll earn my polyurethane finish patch!

 

Good luck on your build.

 

Rick Newman

Permalink Reply by Ray Cotnoir on October 14, 2011 at 5:34am

Hi Rick,  Sorry for the late reply.  Upland hunting in full swing and my poor boat is getting jealous.  I hope your build comes out the way you planned. It sounds like you keep very busy. 

 

I have great memories of my build 22 years ago.  Now that I am starting to put things back together, I am re-living those memories.  Ready to install the chine log this weekend.  Do you know if they are using epoxy prior to intall these days?  Back then we just put on several coats of varnish, then 5200 on the chine/wall connection.  Anxious to see your finished craft.    Ray Cotnoir

Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on October 14, 2011 at 7:24am

Ray, glad to hear you are getting to hunt. My shotguns are jealous. The common procedure is the same as 20 years ago, no epoxy. Some folks are using a less aggressive substance than 5200 so they can more easily remove parts if need be. 4200 or a polysulfide product like Boatlife (see Google) it will keep the moisture out but can be removed.

 

I am progressing quite well on the boat, two coats of Clear Coat epoxy on the outside of the panels, all the frames now have radiused edges and the fireplace has all the cultured stones in place and they are grouted, pulled a Packard Straight 8 motor and six golf cart batteries, cleaned up the hot tub parts and delivered a yard of top soil so far this week.

 

Do you ever float the Big Horn? My buddies and I enjoyed three days there a while back.

 

Keep your powder dry and your boat wet.

 

Rick Newman

Permalink Reply by Ray Cotnoir on October 14, 2011 at 7:57am

Hi Rick, 

 

I have been on the Bighorn, but not floated.  Back when I lived in Montana, a friend I worked with drove over there with me.  circa 1985

I need a Montana fix really bad.  Sounds like the boat will come together soon. 

 

Do folks pre-seal the chine log with varnish?

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