Wooden Boat People
By McKenzieDriftBoat.com
I'm trying to decide on a finish for z-drifter build
I'm having a blast with my z-drifter build. Soon I'll need to add protection to the inside and outside.
I plan on dropping it in some small creeks and rivers in South Central Alaska. It will not see saltwater, but it may scrape on gravel and bump a rock or two.
My current plan is to glass the bottom ( 1/2 inch ply) with 20 oz fabric and epoxy. I'll add rub rails.
I'm reading all over the this site for the best way to finish the inside. Any suggestions appreciated. The more I read, the more I just don't know what to go with. The season here is not very long - May - October. and I put the boat away. I'm not against painting it, but oiling it is appealing.
Thanks for the help.
Views: 943
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Rick Newman on
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Paint = less frequent upkeep
Oil = more frequent update
Varnish = most frequent update
You get to choose.
Show us some pics if you can.
Rick N
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Permalink Reply by Dustin Adams on
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I know nothing and am 3/4 way through my 1st boat build. That being said im oiling inside (and out for that matter) I don't think the upkeep will be bad. According to Roger Fletcher's book you only have to re oil 1-3times a year and you just put it on and wipe it off and you're back out on the water. So my choice would be oil
But you always do a combo paint the inside plywood and oil the frames and sheer rails and such that way you would have great contrast
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Permalink Reply by Robert on
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I do like the idea of oiling it. I like the look of oil. My first boat was glassed outside and painted inside, but it is only 2 years old and things don't rot to fast in Alaska, so not much of a test yet.
What kind of oil? Thanks.
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Robert: 1 quart boiled linseed oil, 1 quart gum turpentine,1/2 to 1 pint pine tar, 2-3 oz Japan Drier.- Pine tar optional, drier mandatory.
Good Luck
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Permalink Reply by Jason Knight on
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+1 for an oiled interior. I varnished my seat tops though.
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The first frame went okay. I used fir from Lowes. It was very dry and brittle. The jigsaw I used for some of the cuts splintered the wood in spots.
Side panels cut from 11/32 inch AC plywood - again, almost all wood from Lowes. I wanted to give this first boat a shot before spending more $ on marine plywood.
I used 1 1/4 screws for joining sides to transoms and frames. The stern transom is 3/4 inch ply.
Chines going on. I chose hemlock for the chines. From what I've read, it isn't the greatest choice, but it came in 12' lengths and I didn't have to scarf it. It also took screws well and flexed without cracking. The grain is tight without knots. All will be encapsulated in epoxy to protect it from water damage.
Both chines installed. I sure liked the method of cutting out the corners of the frames after installing the sides. It made the lining up easy.
6 oz. fabric and West System epoxy. I doubled all seams with 3 inch fabric tape, overlapping edges.
I'm thinking about adding graphite to my last few coats of epoxy on the bottom. For anyone who's done it, does it make a difference in abrasion resistance?
I want to keep the wood look on the transoms and sides. What is the best protection for the epoxy against UV? I don't want to paint the outside. I'd like not to have to strip, sand, redo it each year either. Is there an additive I can use in the West System epoxy that protects against the sun? The guys down at West Marine aren't really that helpful when it comes to fiberglass.
Thanks for looking and helping with my newbie questions.
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Epoxy doesn't insure that your wood will remain dry. As the boat moves, is trailered, hits rocks or logs the structure flexes. Cracks or openings occur and water enters the plywood or in your case the Hemlock which rots very quickly.
The use of appropriate bedding materials on every screw will reduce the chances of water entry into the plywood. Did you seal all faying surfaces with epoxy before you joined them together? Polysulfide based products like Boat Life's Life Caulk works well and remains flexible. Put it on every screw that penetrates the plywood.
In order to keep a clear wood finish and protect the epoxy varnish is commonly used. Their are other similar finishes, polyureathanes and even a couple of monureathanes available. Varnish and other clear finishes require a great deal of maintenance.
There are pages and pages of debates and information on the best varnish and finish both on here and on woodenboatforum.com. Called a brightwork the amount of UV your boat is subject to will determine how soon you will have to sand and refinish your boat. In Florida it might be every few months, in England it might be every few years. With a fir plywood you will need to cover any exposed plywood with at least four to six ounces of fiberglass and epoxy to keep the wood from checking or drying unevenly.
Something to consider since you haven't started your drift boat yet is the difference in price between regular plywood and a good marine plywood is not much in relation to the entire cost of the build. I'll be willing to bet that most builders spend between $2,500 and $4,000 based on the cost of epoxy, fasteners, fiberglass, oars, trailer, rope, finish, sandpaper, tools and any opportunities you are faced with and need to repair or change. Not to mention your time involved.
A couple of hundred bucks difference invested in plywood that doesn't have voids and uses waterproof glues versus the time and labor required to build a replacement boat. If you have to rebuild your boat in a short time that will take away from your fishing time and lighten your wallet.
You can avoid spending money on epoxy, sandpaper, fiberglass and lots of hours of work if you will accept a painted boat. You can avoid the checking of plywood with paint. You won't spend nearly as much time building the boat either.
What I am saying is if you simply want the experience of building a drift boat and to use inexpensive materials that is just fine and will be a good learning experience. If you want to build a drift boat that has a bright finish with all the expense and maintenance required to keep it that way you should consider using appropriate materials throughout so your money and time are most wisely invested. The choice is yours, there is an enormous amount of information located in previous posts that can guide you through the maze of drift boat building.
You also asked if graphite mixed with epoxy will add abrasion resistance. To a very slight amount yes. It is more of an abalative surface, in other words it is somewhat slick and when you travel over a rock a small amount may be scratched off. Epoxy and graphite when applied over multiple layers of fiberglass will add more abrasion resistance. Often 18 ounce triaxial weave fiberglass is used by many builders. So the more fiberglass and epoxy covered by more epoxy and perhaps graphite will give more abrasion resisitance. What it will also give you is a thinner wallet and a heavier boat. What are your boating experiences, how well do you read water, where will you be boating, will you be dragging your boat over rocks or up banks? This year the West is going to feature very skinny water because of the lack of snowpack and boat will be abraded and damaged.
A much less expensive method to provide abrasion resistance is to add a layer of 1/4" plywood to the bottom of your boat as a sacrificial layer. Easy to install and easy to replace, cheap to buy. Look up boat show using the search feature here on the top of the page, Dave Z has used them successfully and has documented their installation.
Rick Newman
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You are welcome, good luck on your projects.
Rick N
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