Please help a newby...restoring old rowboat

[gifman]

On a very tight budget...I'm restoring my grandfathers 50+ year old wooden rowboat. Once I've stripped the old finish down to bare wood what would you all recommend that I apply to the wood to make it more "waterproof" (not sure he used marine grade plywood) yet let me stain it afterwards ? I've seen "soaking" the hull with CPES mentioned on this forum ? What is CPES ?

I'd planned on staining then using several coats of "Helmsman" sparsvarnish but like the idea of treating the wood first for additional protection...

thanks in advance,

gifman

[StevenBauer]

Why would you stain it?

Steven

[Hwyl]

It's probably not plywood. Got any pictures or any more details?

[Paul Girouard]

Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer, CPES. Google ,www.jamestowndistributors.com for starters on CPES. Might not be the silver bullet your looking for. Good luck sounds like fun project. HTBH ;) PEG

[Bob Smalser]

Forget about CPES for now....for 200sf or so of surface area, you'll spend more for it than a new skiff should cost to build....and their are often better ways to finish, depending on the boat. Fore xample, if your forebearer saturated all that wood in linseed oil like all mine would have, CPES probably won't stick to it well anyway. There's nothing like a 200-dollar mistake to get your attention.

Need some details on how this skiff is constructed, its condition and what's wrong with it before you'll get any advice worthwhile.

For starters, pull any hardware off to see what condition the wood is beneath if you haven't already. I'd also power wash it before treating the wood....anything that comes off needs fixing anyway. And I'd pull a plank fastener or three to see what they are and what condition they're in.

Old crossplanked skiffs usually benefit from resetting their nails using a nail set and reputtying them before painting. And before resetting, any darkness in those old chine and other joints will benefit from a soaking in thin copper napthanate before finishing to kill off any mold and prevent more. Sometimes the crossplanks are "driven" rather than caulked and need to be redriven using a new tapered plank.

But I can't really tell without knowing more about the boat.

[ 07-10-2005, 02:20 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Gary E]

(not sure he used marine grade plywood) I will give the fellow the benifit of any doubt that he can tell planks from plywood, so would you still blast away with that pressure washer? or maybe use a more gentle method.

[Bob Smalser]

Originally posted by Gary E:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> (not sure he used marine grade plywood) I will give the fellow the benifit of any doubt that he can tell planks from plywood, so would you still blast away with that pressure washer? or maybe use a more gentle method.</font>[/QUOTE]Actually, yes, if we are talking your average homeowner model pressure washer.

If the ply is gonna flake and delam when power washed, it's gonna eventually flake and delam in use and needs to be replaced.

I've power washed two plywood boat restorations in as many years as a starting point....and my pressure washer runs off the PTO of a 60-hp tractor.

[ 07-10-2005, 02:27 PM: Message edited by: Bob Smalser ]

[Paul Girouard]

I'd rather know sooner than later if it's soft / rotten . Jee Bob your quick tongue.gif I'd do the same for house siding / roofing rather than paint over rotten wood , if it soft it's got to go/ be replaced . HTBH ;) PEG

[gifman]

Wow !! Thanks for the quick response guys. I'll try and post some pictures. I actually "refinished" the boat about 15 years ago with just a few coats of varnish. Used it for a few seasons and for all but the last year it sat inside the garage. For the last year it sat behind my shed and has weathered a bit...but is still in pretty good shape. I decided to restore it right this time...I'm old and wiser I guess :D Some of the varnish has begun to peel away and some of the seems have shrunk a bit but nothing major. One side of the bottom had a hole in it so I decided to just replace both panels with slightly thicker wood. Was 1/4" plywood and I'd like to use 11/32 for some added strength. The sides, and bottom are 1/4" plywood, the bow and transom are 3/4" plywood and the keel, seats, "frame" are solid wood of unknown origin. Everything was fastened together with 3/4" or 1" brass ? / bronze ? screws and glue.

As far as staining it - I've refinished most of the furniture in my house and I like how stains bring out the wood grain. Sounds like CPES is not an option...

Stand by for pictures.

giffman