Clinker/lapstrake hull repair for "New Blossom" (John Leather)

[Scots gaffer]

I am about to commence the repair of a 50 year old 20' gaffer which has been out of the water for some 20+ years,kept under cover & seems generally sound (we'll see how sound when she takes to the water!).

The most obvious repair is the missing larch planking from about 1/4 of the starboard side. The boat's shape has been kept reasonable by the ribs and the deck & cabin structure. I have the larch (Siberian) planking now dressed down to the required 3/8" and am ready to start ..... but dont wish to muck it up.

Do any of you good folk know of books,articles,sites that I could refer to/purchase (I have searched to no avail) for guidance in repair,not build,please? Perhaps I now have access to WB archives - I'll have a look.

Many thanks

[Andrew Craig-Bennett]

All these are British books that are currently out of print, but get-able at modest prices:

Michael Verney's books "Complete Amateur Boatbuilding" and "Practical Conversions and Yacht Repairs" are good, espescially, in your case, the latter.

I'm sure you have John's own book, "Clinker boatbuilding"

One that I have always liked (others don't) is John Scarlett's "Wooden Boat Repair Manual".

John was the founder of the Old Gaffers Association, and I remember corresponding with him when I was starting out in 1970 - he was kindness itself.

Spile the planks. A very good method for this, too time consuming for the professional but excellent for cackhanded amateurs like me, is the technique of using two battens of planking stock thickness to mark the upper and lower edges of the strake and securing the two with short cross battens, described in the first book above.

[Scots gaffer]

Hello Andrew
Sorry I hadn't realised that I had two bits to my thread! Many thanks for your tips. I remember reading Verney some years ago when I had a 24' lifeboat conversion. I'll see what I can find. Yes,I do have John Leather's book on clinker building - somewhere,along with the set of plans I bought from him for the New Blossom. John Scarlett's book I am not familiar with.

I have downloaded the membership form for the Old Gaffers Association and will pursue that. So,thank you once again.

Charles