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In removing my keelson i noticed that it was held in by a lot of nails. I was just wondering if nails are the way to go when putting in the new keelson or if i should take some other route to secure it. Also, if nails are the way to go is there a specific nail i should use? (probably something that won't corrode?)

Any help is much appreciated as this is my first thompson restoration project. Thanks

Hey Eric, Nails were used for the first attachment of one piece of wood to another. Later they came back and installed screws. So you should have noticed a nail and a screw at most connections.

In restoration you are probably fine by omitting the nail and just using a screw. If you do use nails, make sure they are non-corrosive such as brass, copper, silicon brionze. I would not recommend galvanized. And they should be ring shank.

Andreas

Thanks for the info Andreas, it has been a huge help. We got our keelson built and almost ready to put back in and came across another question. The old keelson was rotted pretty bad and not fully intact and so we didn't know if it was attached to the transom in any way. So basically was just wondering if we screw the keelson to the transom, or butt it up against the transom, or leave space between the keelson and the transom?
Thanks Again

Eric, just curious, which model boat do you have?

1960 475 Sea Coaster

most excellent

Hi Eric,

On all the Sea Lancer (Peshtigo) models I have worked upon, the keelson is attached to the transom. It is a screw connection from the outside of the transom. The screw is countersunk and a wood plug/bung covers it. There are two screws.

I think this is a very important structural connection. The sister keelsons (or stringers) are connected to the transom by the same means.

On the '57 and '58 Peshtigo Sea Lancer models there also is a metal brace that connects the transom to the sister keelsons (stringers). I added wooden knees from transom to sister keelsons on a '59 Sea Lancer I restored last year.

Andreas

Hi Eric... I have a 1960 Seacoaster.... I believe my keelson butts up to the transom... tight... then I believe it was screwed and plugged (bunged) from the outside through the transom. Look for holes with bungs a slightly different color on the outside of your transom. Seemed to me there were at least two bungs on the outside in that center area....

Mine is in storage now, so I can't check physically.... I suspect that you would use some fairly large silicon bronze screws... like 3 1/2 - 4 inchers.... at least a #10 or 12...

John P, would be good to comment on this since he totally dismantled his Cruisers about the same size/year.

By the way, I got several tapered bits for all my screws, because they provide a tighter hole than a straight shank drill... use a bedding compound and I used a screw lube to make them go in better....

Good luck.

My Cortland built Custom Sea lancer's Keelson and Sister Keelsons are attached as described above - through the transom from the outside. Adding knees as Andreas describes is on my list of mods to make (eventually)

Thanks for all the help. Looks like i got my work cut out for me.

Hey all....thanks for all the tips on the keelson. It really helped make things go a lot smoother. I came across another question, this time involving the outer keel. When we got the boat and removed the outer keel it did not extend all the way to the rear of the boat. The keel itself was fairly new and in good shape, it just stopped two feet before reaching the end of the boat. Now that we're getting ready to put the outer keel back on we're wondering if we should make a new outer keel that goes all the way back. Thanks again for the help.

Nope, starting about 1959 Thompson at Peshtigo stopped the keel about 24 inches from the end of the transom. It tapered down towards the end to about half its depth.

On the 1961 Sea Lancer (Peshtigo) that I am currently restoring, the keel stops about 36 inches from the transom. There is an aluminum trim piece that covers the garboard joint.

Andreas