Wooden Boat People

By McKenzieDriftBoat.com

Chin rail cap

Hey all,
This is my first post here. I have been renovating a 20 year old Rays "big Mac" . I am just about done and need to put on new chine caps. I plan to use white oak which is what my kit came with. I can get the white oak locally here in Denver but only in 14ft lengths which is a bit short. So i will need to put a joint somewhere. Rather than just put the joint halfway it would seem to make good sense to put the joint where there is little bending such as near the bow or stern. Does anyone have any opinions either way? I have read most of what i could find on the site regarding this- it has been very useful. I will send pics when i finish up. I have replaced the bottom with a quality piece of marine mahogany plywood from bolter plywood out east. I had them do the kerf and it was shipped full length. I sanded and did 2 coats epoxy and two coats varnish on the interior and also sanded and repainted the exterior. I did the epoxy and graphite bottom . I originally had a double bottom with a uhmv shoe 'bonded (somehow) to a thin plywood. Ultimately the bottom succumbed to the dreaded rot. The skid shoe worked great i have yet to test the new bottom but i doubt it will be as slippery.

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Permalink Reply by Lawrence E. Long on September 13, 2011 at 6:24am

Jon: Don"t know the shape of the big Mac but if it has a transom at the stern put the scarfback there and use the full 14' from the bow back. If it is a true double ender-points at both ends then put the 14' in the middle of the boat and scarf at each end. You could use a shorter section in the middle- say 10' and then 2 4' on either end. Keeping the scarfs away from the maximum bend on the chine cap.. The scarfs would be less prone to "snagging" if they were oriented toward the middle of the boat- but this might be a little nit picky.

Good luck

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Permalink Reply by Jon grannis on September 13, 2011 at 10:07am

It does have a transom- there is a bit of a curve into it but I will just have to see where there is less bend. I would rather have the joint at the bow- less chance of a hard impact there but, like you say, probably worrying too much about something with a low chance of happening.