thompsondockside.com

Longtime reader, first time poster. Last week, I became the proud new owner of a Grady White Pamlico, Hull Number A1114Y. The previous owner thougt she was built in 1961, but was not positive. This is my first foray into wooden boat restoration, but what I lack in experience, I can hopefully make up for with a surefeit of enthusiam. Needless to say, I'll also be turning here for help.

Upon inspection, this boat is going to be a project. The deck, floorboards, keel, keelson, garboard planks and a number of ribs are going to need to either be replaced, or extensively repaired. There are also a few areas of delamination on a couple of the planks. For what it's worth, at least the transom is in good shape...

So far, I've removed the floorboards and deck, both of which I've saved as templates. I almost have the dashboard out (one bolt is being finnicky), and will then take out the steering cable as well. This weekend, I unscrewed almost all of the nuts from the machine screws holding the planks togethor between the ribs.

Once I unscrew as many of the nuts as possible, I plan on flipping her over, taking off the stem and keel, removing the planks, assessing the degree of rot on the planks and ribs, and rebuilding from there.

Now, for my first question: should i take off the gunwales prior to flipping? I feel like if they are left intact, they will help the ribs hold their shape as I remove the planking.

Very respectfully,

Bo

Welcome aboard neighbor. I'm not familiar with the Grady White so I can't offer any specific help. However, I did work similiar to what you anticipare on my 57' Sea Lancer. if you take your time, disassemble carefully and save all the pieces the boat should go back together in good shape. How would you rate your wood working skills? and shop resources? If I can be of assistance, look me up (Farmington Hills)
Joe B

Welcome aboard!

Just last week a few of the early Grady-White Boat brochures were posted at the "Classic Library" section of www.fiberglassics.com

Leave as much structure on the boat when flipping her. That's a pretty tramatic experience for the boat, being flipped. So you need as much of the boat's bones connected when doing so.

Do you really need to remove all the planking?

Takes lots of photos as you go along. They will help you get stuff back in their proper place.

By the way when you paint the hull and if you use bottom paint, follow the waterline, NOT the line of the planking. In my opinion, nothing looks worse than the bottom paint following the hull planking. It should be level and follow the waterline.

Good luck and keep us informed.

Andreas

Joe and Andreas, thanks for welcoming me aboard. First, a few words to better introduce myself. I'm a 22 year old grad student at UM, having just started their masters program in naval architecture. Last May, I graduated from the naval academy, also with a degree in naval architecture. So in some respects, I can justify working on the boat, when I really should be studying...

Joe, to answer your questions, at this point, I'd say my woodworking skills are adequate. I don't have a ton of experience, but I'm pretty handy. As far as shop resources, that's another story. Right now, I'm hoping to get access to the Naval Architecture/Engineering Programs shops at university. If that doesn't work out, I might enroll in a woodworking class at the local middle school, to get access to their woodshop.

What I anticipate having the greatest difficulty with will scarfing plywood for replacement strakes (pretty sure I can handle that), and then beveling the edges of the strakes to the appropriate angle. I think beveling the strakes/garboard plank will be the most difficult part, especially if there is a bevel angle varies along the length of the plank.

Andreas, definitely agree about the how bad the paint job looks, following the planking. Considering how bad it looks on the trailer, I cringe at what it would look like floating in the water.

All the best,

Bo

There are at least two chapters of the Antique & Classic Boat Society www.acbs.org in Michigan. Start hanging out at their activities. Network and find guys that are willing to loan out tools or lend a hand.

There is an active chapter of the Antique Outboard Motor Club in lower Michigan. Again, lots of great folks that can lend a hand. There is some cross-over with ACBS.

Study the Grady-White brochures to see how they slapped things together. Same goes for the brochures of Thompson et.al. which can be purchased on CD-ROM at www.wcha.org and www.dragonflycanoe.com. The details and construction on all these lapstrake boats was pretty similar.

Actually, looking at the boat itself and tearing into it is the best way to learn.

Cheerio!

Andreas

It can be done. You might be able to reuse most lapstrakes. There are several boats under going rework at present on site. Here's a link to mine www.aerialimaging.net/john

Let me know how I can help call anytime. John 832 473 8928

Thanks to everyone in the Dockside community for the warm welcome, the pointers, and the offers to lend a hand. Much appreciated.

So far, I've taken off the deck, the windshield and the dashboard, so she's pretty bare bones. I'm unscrewing all of the machine nuts used to fasten the planks, but leaving screws in place. Saturday, I'm going to flip her, then unfasten the screws from the stem and keel, and start working on removing the planks, working from the garboards on out. I plan on leaving the shear strake in place, to help the ribs keep their shape.

Which brings me to my first question: paint removal. What's better using chemical strippers or sanding? And should I be concerned about lead paint? Also, what strippers have you had the best luck with? I know that citristrip has been mentioned in a few threads. Right now, I'm leaning towards sanding, just a strip wide enough to expose the screw hole filler.

All for now, I'll post pictures in the next couple of days, highlighting both my general process and what will likely be the problem areas, which need replacement/repair.

SaltyDawg,

I would opt for using a stripper rather then sand. Get the majority of the paint off using the stripper and scrapping with only a light sand to smooth out any raised wood grain before your first coat of paint.
I have used a product from Strip X which is a spray on stripper that works very well but is caustic and you need to be sure to cover your skin and wear goggles and heavy gloves. It is sprayed on the surface and left on and as the surface begains to dry you continue spraying it on to keep it wet. It will penitrate many layers of paint as it sits and is kept wet with stripper then the surface with start to krinkle and literally side off the wood. You then use a scrapper to scrap off the goo and wash down with a detergent and clear water afterward. There are more eco friendly strippers out there that work well.

I would be concerned with sanding because of the great possiblity of lead in the paint. You can get lead testing kits at most paint stores and big box stores. Not a bad investment to let you know if you have lead paint, which the older paints had in them especially marine and exterior paints. Also a lot of the fillers that where used years ago where made using linseed oil and white lead mixed into a thick paste and spread onto the hull to fill any irregularities. Bottom paints are not something you want to be inhaling either. If you sand get a very good respirator and purchase a painters body suit of tyvek to cover you clothing and head. Place a fan in the area blowing out a window or doorway to move the airbourn dust out of the area and away from you or do it outside. Outside you can still use a fan to blow the dust away from you while sanding.

Good Luck and Welcome Aboard

Phill

Today I went to Home Depot and picked up a container of Strip-X sprayable stripper. Worked better than I expected. You can see the results from the test on the port stern quarter, using minimal scraper effort.



Also, here are a couple of pictures of the hull as she currently stands, as well as some areas of rib damage, and damage to the keel:







All for now,

Bo

Great progress!

I'll be keeping an eye on this restoration as I plan on doing the same thing to my T&T.

Man, that thing looks so much like the inside of a thompson!

Ill be following along, really hoping to get cracking on my boat soon.

Evan

May I ask how difficult it was to separate the topside plywood from the crossmembers it was attached to ? I want to redo my Cruiser's Inc Commander 302V with mahogany plywood vice the fir under the orginal vinyl and was wondering is the original plywood glued and screwed? Nails, what ?
Also, I never realized how bad following the lines of the hull vice the water line looks on a boat. I will make every effort to retain the orginal water line for bottom paint on my hull when I redo although I do have reservations about the transom. I'd as soon leave the entire transom in natural finish/varnish when its redone.

Brian