# Wooden Boat, What does it take to maintain one?



## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

What does it take to maintain a wooden boat? I love sailing and woodworking but don't think I would ever want a wooden boat, or at least one that lived in the water. I really enjoy looking at them at the wooden boat festivals I have been to though, but somehow have developed a fear of what it would take to fix up and maintain a wooden boat. 

Some recent posts here got me thinking. Someone with a wood boat wanted a bigger, newer wood boat if he had the money. In another thread someone suggested a wood boat as an alternative to another. In my mind the boat being wood made it a complete other type of beast. In reality, how much more work is owning a wooden boat?


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## MarkCK (Jan 4, 2009)

A wooden boat will take every bit of free time that you have and then you will still have a long list of projects you will never get around to. Thats to keep it in Bristol condition of course. If you have the funds to pay someone else to do it the task becomes much much easier.

Now if you dont mind your boat having a little character it will still require a lot more work than a fiberglass one, but it will become much more manageable.


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## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

MarkCK said:


> A wooden boat will take every bit of free time that you have


Thats the impression I got. Figured wooden boat ownership was as much of a hobby as sailing the boat is.

What I am wondering in particular is what more needs to be done to keep the boat afloat?

Pull the boat annually?
Topside paint yearly?
Scrub the decks with a holystone?

What are the different maintenance regimens that make owning a wood boat so much more work?


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## imagine2frolic (Aug 7, 2008)

Depends on the shape one would take ownership of a wooden boat. It also depends on what type of wooden boat it is. Mine is all wood, and I would build yet another, and larger. Then again it is cold molded.

Go to the wooden boat forum, and you will get an idea of what it takes*.......i2f*


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## cormeum (Aug 17, 2009)

For us it works about to about 40 hours a year. Keeping up the hull and brightwork is less time consuming than systems work- which is common to all older boats. Projects are projects and in our experience, we all have to deal with them- at least we don't get blistering and soggy cores. Each material has its issues.

Were I to put wood boat maintenance in a nutshell, it's that if you don't want to amount of work to get out of hand, you have to get to it right away. In that regard, glass is somewhat more forgiving. But if you keep on top of it, it's not that much work. Coat of varnish every year, paint every other year, etc.

I think that before Mark CK pontificates, he should get some experience


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

Wooden boats and how they are built has allot of bearing on how much care they need. There is now.. I'd say in the last 30 years or so.. a growing number of wooden boats that are built and or restored with high end materials. They are best described as being in a state of "arrested" decomposition. Also, there are builders that build hulls in wood and epoxy. some are called cold molded, some are strip planked, which becomes a composite hull, very stable, strong, and rot resistant. 

Some Old (and new) traditionally built boats are planked.. like the planks on a hardwood or softwood floor only longer.. this is called carvel planking. it is built on purpose to have "gaps" in the seams.. which have cotton or oakum wedged in. the seams were then sealed with tar or putty in the old days, now with high tech caulking. Carvel planking is the most fear producing method of hull planking also.. as it's the kind that needs to "swell" or be kept wet. this type of build also is the worse looking when it drys out from being out of the water. 

The other type of planking looks like the sides of a house. It's called "lapstrake" the planks were often riveted and screwed along the edges with tar or caulk in between overlaps. On newer boats that look the same many are are being built in what is called "glued lapstrake" and the strakes are made of plywood.. very stable, strong and very beautiful to see when finished with varnish. 

Cormeum is spot on about how little time his boat needs, because his boat has been well loved and cared for I'm sure. 

The most important parts to fail in larger wooden boats are, the deadwood, stern post and or stem in the bow. Keel and keel bolts are problems also, Ribs (called timbers) are often easy to repair in the boat. A method called sistering.. about the same as used in building houses. 

Big old wooden boats are left to rot.. Big old fiberglass boats are left also.. except, everything but the hull rots! 

Study, research, and look at many many boats before you buy.. often you will find them free. I just found a "free" boat. 23ft full keel 82 years old with carvel planking and iron keel, I won't be adopting her but I'm trying to find a home for her. 


Anyone should know their limitations when it comes to old boats. glass or wood. So much "stuff" is very costly. Even if the boat itself it well restored or maintained. The cost of sails,spars, rigging, engines, systems, etc are why some people build boats and never finish them.


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## alanr77 (Jul 24, 2009)

Having spent the first 25 years of my life around wooden boats, meaning riding in them as a child, then helping my dad work on his and then maintaining my own, my answer is A LOT. For every four months we used our Mahogany Chris Crafts, Constellations and Romers, we/I would spend twice that sanding and varnishing. They sure were beautiful though. If you have a dedicated passion for them, they are great. If you just think they are pretty-look at someone else's..... AR


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## puddinlegs (Jul 5, 2006)

Wooden Boat, What does it take to maintain one? Passion.


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## Flybyknight (Nov 5, 2005)

My first boat was a 26' 1928 Chris Craft run about. That was in the early 50s'.
All I can say is *If* you can keep the bottom from *dry rotting*, then all else is 
nice like when you stop hitting your head with a hammer.

Dick


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## bljones (Oct 13, 2008)

Wooden boats loosely fall into three categories;
1. There are high maintenance wooden boats, (planked)and then 
2. There are lower maintenance wooden boats,(cold moulded), and
3. Cheap or free wooden boats that will break your heart.

but one thing they all have in common- all wooden boats require passion. A wooden boat will own YOU, not vice versa. if you have wooden boat stewardship in your heart, and you understand that there are no acceptable shortcuts in a varnish schedule, that you really do need a caulking mallet to properly caulk your boat, if you understand that it takes as long as it takes to take up, then you might be one to carry forth the legacy. A wooden boat will take over a large part of your life, and you will be a better person for it. if you worry about how much time maintenance will require, if you'd rather be sailing than caretaking, if you are a procrastinator who won't fix something until it is well and truly broken/rotten/gone, then you aren't ready for a wooden boat.


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

As someone who currently owns *two* wooden boats - yes, crazy, I know.. 

IMO, there is little difference in total maintenance time or cost per year between wood, steel or fibreglass - *assuming each material is in good condition to start with*.

It is very true that if the maintenance of either a wood or steel boat is allowed to slide, it will be a huge task to get back on top of it again and, in that respect, fibreglass is a little more 'forgiving' - but I certainly disagee that a wooden boat in good condition is inherently higher maintenance than a 'glass boat of the same condition.

The stigma attached to the upkeep of wooden boats has come about because wooden boats have been around longer and there are far fewer new ones being built today. Maintenance of an older wooden boat will therefore likely have been partly neglected between owners which will require work to fix wheras chalky fibreglass, for example, can generally be ignored for a lot longer - but - if you like the look and feel of a wooden boat, the general upkeep (paint and varnish) nowadays is no more onerous on either wood or glass.

Wood, steel and 'glass boats all require maintenance: wood simply requires less maintenance, more frequently, than 'glass. 

EDIT: If you're keen enough, you can buy a cheap wooden boat in awful condition, fix it up by replacing, painting and varnishing whatever is required with quality workmanship and sell it for far more than you bought it. You simply can't do that with a 'glass boat - once 'glass is blistered or cracked no-one will want it no matter how much effort you put in, and there are generally several others from the same mold for a buyer to pick from.

A wooden boat is *unique* - the product of a craftsman's hands in a an era of mass-production - and hence will always have value just as long as there is someone to care for it..


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## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

Just for the record I am not shopping for any boat at the moment, let alone a wooden one. I had just found myself rejecting a suggestion of a boat as it was wooden and felt I should know more about them so I could be a better armchair sailor.

I plan to build some wooden kayaks some day though.

In the meantime thanks for all the info. Also I did not know who of you owned wooden boats, now I have another level of respect for you folks.


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

Jordan,, I highly recommend CLC boats. Chesapeake Light Craft | Boat Plans, Boat Kit, Kayak Kit, Canoe Kit, Sailboat Kit, Rowboat Kit, Paddleboard Kit, Boat Plan, Boat Kits, Kayak Kits, Canoe Kits, Sailboat Kits, Rowboat Kits, Paddleboard Kits, Boatbuilding Supplies, Boat Gear and Accesso

I finally sold my 18ft yak. my son and built them a long time ago. took about a weekend to build one. And that was from plans.. not the kit.


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## jephotog (Feb 25, 2002)

Wow Denise,
Very impressive. I have looked at CLC, Pigmy, One Ocean and others for years dreaming of building one. I also have Nick Shades book on strip built boats. I just know I have no place to build one or store it. 

I also think it would take me more than a weekend to do it, especially from a plans. I even have a couple of sheets of Okume and a few gallons of Raka Epoxy. Wish I had the space.


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## sailordave (Jun 26, 2001)

W/o going into lengthy discussions of the different building techniques, etc... I'll say that IF one acquires a wooden boat of traditional (carvel) construction that is in superb condition and one is dedicated to staying on top of everything that needs attention when it demands attention, then it doesn't take a LOT to maintain a woodie. Coldmolded or composite (strip/coldmolded) boats even less.

The problem is a woodie might look great from the dock but down in the bilges it could have all sorts of COSTLY repairs in need of doing.

Personally I love woodies but I love sailing just as much or more and while I do enjoy working on them I don't want to be a slave to them. 

If you think you want to play around w/ a woodie find an old One Design and restore it. I did that years ago. In fact I have a 1955 vintage Lightning in my garage that I haven't finished and have considered selling just to free up the space. (not an advertisement, just a comment!)


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I think BLJ makes a very good point... it really depends on what you mean by a wooden boat. Do you mean a traditional wooden boat, like a carvel or lapstrake plank-built boat? Do you mean a stitch and glue plywood boat? A cold-molded boat or a strip laminated boat? The latter two can be very low maintenance, since the wood is epoxy or fiberglass encapsulated. They can also be very long lasting boats, since properly built cold-molded or strip laminated boats are very rigid and don't suffer from the fatigue that fiberglass boats can.


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## CharlieCobra (May 23, 2006)

The thing I like about wood is that everything, EVERYTHING can be repaired or replaced. Al it takes is time and a bit of skill or somebody like me and your money if ya don't have the first two elements.


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## jackdale (Dec 1, 2008)

jephotog said:


> Thats the impression I got. Figured wooden boat ownership was as much of a hobby as sailing the boat is.


A friend who has 1947 Tahiti ketch once told me, "Wood boats are not a hobby; they are a full time occupation."


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## cormeum (Aug 17, 2009)

jackdale said:


> A friend who has 1947 Tahiti ketch once told me, "Wood boats are not a hobby; they are a full time occupation."


I really do have a day job, really...:laugher


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## edgesoftheearth (Oct 26, 2010)

Hartley18 said:


> Wood, steel and 'glass boats all require maintenance: wood simply requires less maintenance, more frequently, than 'glass.


I agree with Hartley18. ALL boats require maintenance. A lot of wood boats have been neglected and that is where problems arise. It is great to have perfect varnish but what is important is what is going on under the cabin sole. People seem to forget to look in the bilge. Perfect bright work isn't going to keep your boat from sinking. For me, I always keep track of the state of the bilge and there are never any surprises.

My maintenance routine includes: Rinse the decks once a week with salt water, two coats of varnish every 6 months to a year, and keep your bilge dry. I live aboard and look in the bilge all the time but you should look in there at least once a week.

I agree that it takes passion to own a wooden boat but it really isn't that much work as long as you stay on top of it.


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## FishSticks (Nov 16, 2007)

I have had the same wood boat for more than 48 years. I would say the most labor-intensive aspects of the experience over all that time have been keeping up the brightwork and messing with old Graymarine gas engines - activity not limited to wood boats. The latter issue has been corrected with the installation of a diesel. Regarding the former - it could be corrected quite easily with a few quarts of paint, but since the varnish is looking pretty good at the moment I think I'll wait.


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

The longer I own a wooden boat, the more surprised I am at the lack of stuff I really need to worry about. Sound exterior timber given a few coats of paint will be right for a decade or more with little more "maintenance" than an occasional wash down and a touch-up if it gets dinged... but 'glass is an entirely different story.

For some bizarre reason, plastic boat owners (PBOs) seem to think a wooden boat is simply a pile of rot just wasting away, but as others here have testified, the BEST part of owning a wooden boat is knowing that there isn't a single part of the boat that can't be fixed or replaced relatively simply and easily..

..and there's NO cored decks to go soggy and NO gelcoat to go crazed or chalky and require constant polishing! Scary stuff indeed!!


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