thompsondockside.com

As noted in my other post, I’ll be making some upgrades and repairs on by 62 Sea Lancer this winter and will have the floors up, etc. Question here is, what are the considerations for attaching things to the Ribs? My gut tells me as few screws in the ribs as possible, and only into the ribs, not through into the planking. For instance, the floors are screwed into the ribs at the outer edge of the floor, right where the ribs turn sharply. I don’t like that set up.

Advice?

I am not certian of how the construction details were for the Thompson of NY boats such as yours. I know that the Thompson of Peshtigo boats had a longitudinal board that ran the length of the boat just below the level of the floor. This was at the outer edge of the floor. The floor boards were screwed to this board, not to the ribs. This board, called a "floor riser", is about 1" x 1" and had to be steam bent to follow the curve of the hull. It was screwed to every few ribs.

Andreas

THere is a board as you describe about half way up the side, and hopefully there is one as you describe under the floor as well. I'll let you know in a few weeks when I take them up.

But what of screwing into the ribs? Under the bow deck I wanted to add multiple hooks and what-not for stowage items, perhaps some wooden Cross Bracing, or two 1x1's on each side. Is it unadvisable to screw into the ribs?

My boat has an thin, unimaginitive, brown hardboard screwed to the ribs on both sides of the hull. I plan to replace these with some Oakum plywood, for looks and to provide a place to attach pole holders, etc, so that I dont have to screw into the ribs. I plan on reusing the existing holes from the hardboard.

I would not worry about screwing to the ribs here and there. Just don't go overboard. And DON"T drill all the way thru the ribs and planking!

Andreas

Thanks for the on-going advice!