Wooden Boat People
By McKenzieDriftBoat.com
replacing chine rail
Hey there wbp:
I have a 40 plus year old wooden 14' drifter, probably an old Don Hill boat. I cracked the right chine rail (chine batten?) on a low water rogue trip this fall, and I am in the process of replacing it. The rail was oak, 15/16" x1 7/8" x @ 14'. My question is: will I be able to torture the wood into place? I am going to look at a piece of white oak today, just trying to figure out the best way to bend the piece into place. I figure there are folks on this forum who have done this before, so looking for good suggestions about how to proceed. I think I can run the batten long on both ends until it is screwed into place. Any suggestions would be most welcome. I would love to know what set ups folks use to make the bends, and do you ever laminate or steam or is that not necessary?
I have a 40 plus year old wooden 14' drifter, probably an old Don Hill boat. I cracked the right chine rail (chine batten?) on a low water rogue trip this fall, and I am in the process of replacing it. The rail was oak, 15/16" x1 7/8" x @ 14'. My question is: will I be able to torture the wood into place? I am going to look at a piece of white oak today, just trying to figure out the best way to bend the piece into place. I figure there are folks on this forum who have done this before, so looking for good suggestions about how to proceed. I think I can run the batten long on both ends until it is screwed into place. Any suggestions would be most welcome. I would love to know what set ups folks use to make the bends, and do you ever laminate or steam or is that not necessary?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike Dearing on
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Laura,
I built my boat in the middle of winter and I didn't steam any part of the boat to make the bends. The pieces are all thin enough that with a little pressure while screwing it on they take the shape of the hull readily. Your right on track with leaving the cap a little long and trimming the ends off after its secured.
Post some pictures of your boat I'm sure we would all like to see it.
Mike
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Permalink Reply by Dave Z on
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First off, I am hoping you are talking about the outside of the boat, the "chine batten" that takes all the abuse from rocks, etc....
Steam not necessary. The word "torture" is adequate. Prep your surface and fix any rot or missing wood from the removal with thickened epoxy. Some folks seal the surface, some don't. Get a tube of 3M 5200 caulk or SikaFlex 291. Tip the boat upside down and support it on its trailer, sawhorses or whatever. I have always started in the front of the boat working back. Once you get the first 2-3 screws in (Yes, I use screws, I know several here use ring nails) It will start to hold itself in place. I then use a series of tie down straps, ratchet straps, rope or whatever is handy to bend it in place. I've tied end sof the rope to a truck, workbench, wall,- whatever is handy and heavy to be able to crank on. 15/16" is a hefy chine batten, and will take a little massaging to bend. You may consider replacing both chine battens with a 5/8" or even 1/2" batten, then install some aluminum or SS strips to those....If it as a functional 40 year old boat, it may be worth it.
I only caulk about 3' at a time to eliminate me wearing most of it. (you will ruin anything that contacts the caulk).
I predrill and countersink the screw heads. I use Silicon Bronze screws, 1-1/4" #8 to do this job. This will probably match the other side of your boat. if it is an oldy but goody.
Sandy has an alternate method using a rounded chine, glassed over then the strip is a little thinner and installed using ring nails.
Either method is sound.
Now, if you are talking about the "chine log" on the inside of the boat, this is a more detailed repair. I may not be best to answer this without seeing some pics, or where the crack is on the boat. Could be simple, could be tough. AJ would be your man on this.....Post some pics if you have them.
Dave
Good luck.
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Permalink Reply by Laura Dalton on
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No it is the exterior chine batten, thank goodness. She is an oldy and a goody, rows like a sports car after all the overloaded rubber rafts I have driven. Still learning the hard way that you really can't hit ANYthing in an old wooden boat, though rocks on the Rogue at 1100 cfs are hard to miss :) I will see if I can posts some pics. Right now she is upside down on sawhorses in my shop at work, the old chine is off and an initial layer of epoxy has gone on to seal the surface and fill the old holes. May do a little more fairing work today in addition to milling the new piece and looking for the proper replacement screws, I will bring the camera. Thanks for the input! Most encouraging to learn I am on the right track.
cheers
Laura
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Permalink Reply by Robb Grubb on
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Laura,
I have replaced 3 sets of outer battens, one and a half sets of inner chines, and one floor on my 16 foot Don Hill over the course of 14 years since I built it. Obviously I use it a lot (or need rowing lessons!)
The guys (Mike and Dave) are on the right track, the only things I could add are:
1. I started screwing on the new batten at the center of the boat and working out to the bow and stern. That way the 14 foot piece of oak balanced and I did not have to force it or hold it into place with anything. I am inherently lazy, so I let gravity do the work.
2. It may be obvious but make sure to counter sink the screws flush before installing. Screw heads can grab fly lines or other obstacles.
3. Be sure to take a pencil or sharpie and mark the existing nails or screws that are holding the side to the inner chine so you know where not to drill for the batten install. I mark a little tick mark on the bottom close to the edge.
4. As an option, I aligned the batten a little low beyond the floor ( 1/32 ) so I could grind or plane off the remainder later to be perfectly flush with the bottom. Doing this or not depends on if you have already applied what ever protection you have or have not put on the surface of the bottom.
Have fun, measure twice, cut once...
Robb Grubb
www.RiverTraining.net
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Thanks for all the excellent input! Let me see if I can upload a pic of the boat, from that Rogue trip in Oct.
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Laura,
Nice boat! It looks like its in great shape, especially considering its age.
Mike
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Permalink Reply by Greg Hatten on
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Hi Laura,
I feel your pain... I ran the Rogue three times in October and I tried to rearrange a few rocks myself so the boats behind me would have easier passage. It didn't work out too well. Had a little repair work to do to the bottom of my boat and it was totally worth it. Love that river in October!! How skinny was Slim Picken's for you???
Cool boat you have there!!
GH
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Permalink Reply by mitchell on
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great thread.
Three years ago I cracked outside chine cap. Dropped the boat off the trailer and on to it's side on a really hairy boat ramp. Cracked the cap but not all the way through. I epoxied/wood dusted the crack and it seems all is well. I check it often, no signs of separation or rot.
But...do you guys think I'm avoiding the obvious, she'll need a new cap? If so, where to begin to look for oak replacement piece?
I'm not a builder but with the methods of repair you all suggested, I might be able to pull this repair off.
thanks for the thread
mitchell
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Mitchell,
If you run your wood boat on anything other then class 1 water, you will be a "builder" sooner or later, such is the nature of a wood boat.
If it was my boat I wouldn't worry about it if you think you have a sound fix, but if its bugging you to the point of distraction, then yeah why not replace it since its not very hard to do.
If you live anywhere near Randy I'd just get a chine cap from him.
Mike
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Got the new batten on, with the help of a few ratchet straps, I will post pics in a day or two. I had best luck starting from the front and working my way to the rear, mostly because I couldn't get a good enough purchase on the front end of the batten to bring it in line once the center was secured.
I got my white oak from a local hardwood supply here in Portland called Crosscut Hardwoods. It was cheaper than the screws!
Thanks for all the help everyone! GH, did you have to row around that dead driftboat in Blossom? Slim Pickens wasn't slim, just shallow (ran left). But not too shallow.
cheers
Laura
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Rob has some sound advice/tips there. Way to go.
Mitch, I too have injected/repaired a chine batten by soaking it in epoxy/filler. Its still on the particular boat and has no issues. It happened 3 yeards ago. It also was not cracked through.
If you want to replace, get some flat sawn white oak. See if you can find a continuous 16" piece or longer, kiln dried from a sawmill. Call around smaller mills and see if they can do it for you, be sure to tell them that you want unscarfed piece. .....and while your at it, buy a few of them, you never know when you'll need em! The sawmill I go to has cut me 22' continuous sections from one beautiful log. I bought 12 of them! I have 4 or so up in the rafters in my garage.
I have a little additction of boat building, so those should become parts for the next build if the wife doesn't notice....
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