9
I managed to get some lovely
1in-thick Columbian pine (Douglas
fir) from a local sawmill which I cut into
shape for the new thwarts. The split plank
shown underneath was a reject section.
12
After sealing the underside with
liquid epoxy, I put a thick layer of
epoxy glue over the plywood base and
fitted the thwarts. Some ingenuity was
required to wedge them in place!
(^13)
The unmistakable signs of gribble
on the keel ā the result of leaving
the boat on a
mud berth for
eight months
without touching
up the paintwork
first to ensure it
was sound and
able to resist
worm attack.
14
I marked the scarfs off by eye and
cut the offending section of keel out
with a handsaw. The new section (an
offcut of hardwood I had lying around)
was then marked directly off the keel...
(^15)
... and bedded in a thick layer of
epoxy, with a screw at either end to
hold it in place.
(^10)
To prevent the
thwarts rotting out
again, I cut extra large
drainage channels into the
ends which I then sealed
with thickened epoxy.
11
Trying the new thwarts out for size. Note the
rotten bulkhead sections which Iād cut out and
replaced in a similar way as the hull planking.
17
I used a similar method to cut off
the rotten stemhead and scarf in a
new section of hardwood.
(^16)
Once the epoxy was cured I planed
it to shape and sanded the new
section smooth.
REFURBISHING A SKIFF