New to sailboats - scraped keel/ cracks/ exposed wood treatment?

[colocass]

Hello,



I have recently acquired a ~8ft handcrafted wooden sailboat (Leif 8' I believe it's called) design by Shell Boats LLC.
I'm new to sailing, and boat ownership. I have been told that maintaining a wooden boat is a nightmare, but I have since fallen in love with it, and want to maintain it as best as possible.

After I took it out for a ride on the lake, I noticed that there are some scratches/cavities within the hull, and the paint on the keel has been scraped off completely (down to bare wood) t. I also noticed that a section of the railing on the boat had cracked.



I'm very worried about wood rot, and I don't want to take it out on the water again if there are parts of the boat exposed without varnish/epoxy/paint etc.
I've been told that sanding/epoxy/varnishing/painting/ and "Git Rot"-ing the boat should be done at the end of every season, however, I still want to take this boat out a few more times before winter.

My apologies in advance for the numerous questions, I don't know where else to go for advice, as there is no "public" sailing/boating community where I live, and information on the web/forums/videos is often contradictory or is spotty.

I will be labeling parts of the boat in my pictures with letters A B C D corresponding to the questions, since I am awful when talking about technical things in writing.





My questions are:

1. (A) ---- Is it okay to spot-fix via: Sand---->"Git Rot" ---> Epoxy ---> varnish
specific parts of the hull/bilge? (Before doing the entire boat at the end of the season)

2. (B) --- Would it be advisable/possible to reinforce the keel with steel/ metallic plates to protect the keel when it scrapes against the ground/rocks etc?
If yes, would I have to drill screws onto the keel to secure the plates, or would I be able to epoxy/glue the plates onto the keel? ( I am worried about cracking the wood/exposing the wood to rot)

3. (C)---- Does this appear to be wood rot? (Every part of the boat is bone dry as of now)

4. (D)-----Can I repair these sections of railing with wood glue/epoxy, or would I have to replace the entire section?

5. What is the order for restoring the boat every season? From what I've been told roughly it's:

HULL: scraping paint--->sanding--> epoxy---> varnish---> repaint

BILGE: Sanding--->Epoxy--->Varnish
?

6. Does the hull actually have to be painted or it is possible to use a transparent sealer of some sort?

I would hate to keep the beautiful wood on the hull hidden, but whatever is more protective for the boat!

Pictures of the boat assembled for anyone curious:

I really appreciate any guidance or advice you can offer, as I'm completely lost when it comes to wood/boats, let alone wooden boats! I'm paranoid about doing something that will compromise the integrity of the boat, and I don't want to do anything without knowing first that it will not damage anything.



Thank you!



-FC



(PS I am In a cold-freshwater only state with harsh winters/ hot summers)

 

[shemandr]

Relax! It's not that delicate. Wood is a very durable material that is pretty easily repaired. The stories you hear about rot are primarily from neglected boats. Based on the photos I would not say your boat is neglected. It needs some maintenance.
I don't have time to answer all your questions this morning but I'll hit a few high points. Regarding the skeg, it is meant to be in some sense sacrificial. In you case it looks fine. There nothing wrong with making a metal shoe for it but I wouldn't bother. Instead I would coat the bottom with epoxy mixed with graphite particles (Available fro West epoxy). That will render a tough finish which can be dragged up a beach and provides some antifouling too. It will not do well in direct Sunlight but a layer of cheap bottom paint will take care of that.
For D, I think those can be repaired but the rails should come off to prepare the surfaces for epoxy, which also needs to be protected from Sunlight with Varnish.
I'm sure others will chime in re all parts but rest assured that wood is a durable material.

 

[garymalmgren]

Hi Colocass.
RE: I have been told that maintaining a wooden boat is a nightmare, but I have since fallen in love with it, and want to maintain it as best as possible.

Maintaining a wooden boat takes time, attention and money.
You have a small boat so all of those points are lessened. For some people working on a wooden boat is a labor of love, for others a nightmare.
So, you approach and the way you feel about the work you put in and the finished boat will define your attitude.

want to maintain it as best as possible.
Start off by making up a well fitting cover. Keep the boat covered and out of the sun, rain and extreme cold. This will reduce wear and tear from now and keep her neat and tidy over the long haul.

To answer you specific questions.
My questions are:

1. (A) ---- Is it okay to spot-fix via: Sand---->"Git Rot" ---> Epoxy ---> varnish
specific parts of the hull/bilge? (Before doing the entire boat at the end of the season)
I would say sail the hell out of her during the summer and do as much work as you can over the winter.
You are sure to uncover some hidden little treats.

2. (B) --- Would it be advisable/possible to reinforce the keel with steel/ metallic plates to protect the keel when it scrapes against the ground/rocks etc?

The keel needs to be planed back to a flat surface and a new piece of keel timber graved on. Then a strip of brass, stainless steel or ( gasp, $$$$$$) bronze strapping fitted.
The thing that you have pictured is way overkill.
Check here. https://ghboats.com/options/custom-boat-options/stainless-steel-keel-strip/

For now. Paint over the damage and sail the hell out of her over summer.

3. (C)---- Does this appear to be wood rot? (Every part of the boat is bone dry as of now)
Yep that black stuff is rot.
The screws have worked loose and water has gotten in to the screw holes and traveled along the grain.
The modern correct way to deal with that type of fastening is to drill all the way through with an oversized drill 3/8 for example. Fill the holes with thickened epoxy, the drill the size for mounting bolts and bolt all the way through the transom. That way the rudder fittings are solidly fixed and the epoxy will protect the wood from water creep and rot.
That top plank looks like cedar and even in that condition is fine to sail but it will need to be replaced eventually
. There is no quick fix for that rot.


4. (D)-----Can I repair these sections of railing with wood glue/epoxy, or would I have to replace the entire section?
This broken pieces need to be removed, replicated and replaced. A great little job for getting used to handtools and boat work.
I would say sail the hell out of her during the summer and do that over the winter. maybe the first task.

5. What is the order for restoring the boat every season? From what I've been told roughly it's:
HULL: scraping paint--->sanding--> epoxy---> varnish---> repaint
BILGE: Sanding--->Epoxy--->Varnish

If you get her up to scratch you will not need to Restore her every season.
Next winter will see a lot of what needs to be done, done.
Just be aware that regular use will add dings and scratches and as pretty as she is, she is not a show boat.
The aim is to get her looking nice and keep her that way as you sail the hell out of her in the summers.


6. Does the hull actually have to be painted or it is possible to use a transparent sealer of some sort?

I don't really understand that question as the hull is already painted a nice off white by the look of it.

Here is some inspiration.

All the best
Gary

 

[JBP-PA]

6. Does the hull actually have to be painted or it is possible to use a transparent sealer of some sort?
It is fine to continue to use varnish on the wood that is currently varnished. I entirely agree it would be a shame to hide that nice wood. It should be a marine aka Spar varnish not just any wood sealer. Good quality varnish is much nicer to work with and lasts longer. Polyurethane is faster drying, but does not yield long lasting results. Have a look at TotalBoat.com, they have all the stuff needed for wooden boats. If you have to go cheap, try the Rustoleum spar varnish, stay away from minwax.
If you want to expose the currently painted portions, that is a lot of work to strip the old paint. Maybe save that project for a while until the other work is done. That said, sure you can strip and varnish the hull, typically only the topsides (above the waterline) are varnished.

 

[shemandr]

While it's good to keep fresh water out of the boat, getting the wood too dry is also a problem. The wood shrinks as it drys and if it is fastened it can develop cracks or checks. A Wooden Boat columnist has written extensively about the best way to store wood and wooden boats with regard to humidity. I believe his Rx was a dirt floor over concrete. It is reasonable to move the boat in for working on it and back outside for periods of storage. I don't think a super low humidity, as may exist in an upper Mid-West garage, would be good. That dryness may be responsible for the cracks in the planks. If those cracks go through the plank you will need to repair them maybe even using fiberglass cloth. If the cracks are superficial I would use a marine putty to close them and paint over. That's more like fairing than a repair. In any event they are above the waterline and not dangerous.
Store the boat covered or upside down when not in use. I have yet to use a cover that didn't let water into the boat - sometimes aided by the local raccoon population. Up side down was my preference.
Otherwise I agree with the sail the hell out of it mantra.