Pacemaker Boat Owners Association

replacing all fasteners and sistering in new oak laminated rig=bs as needed, mainly in the aft of the boat and along the bilge in the bow

Its been great for getting the bilges clean from the 41 years of accumulations!

All of the planking and most of the ribs were in good shape. The broken ribs were along the aft at the chine where the boat had banged the dock and pylons during a norester. and the tips of the bow ribs along the keel were showing deterioration with spinning screws. about 50% of the screws were deteriorated or loosened to the point of spinners. Some were like thin finishing nails from electrolysis. When you pull screws to inspect, really pull extra ones from the areas that stay wet on the inside...

Looking like you are doing very well with your project and have great dedication. Keep up the good work (and pictures).

Great work, she'll be good for at lesst another 40. How did yuu make out with the snow last night?

less than an inch in Norfolk...the gulf stream so close really helps keep it a little warmer.

I prefer a no snow climate....

I wish we had a yard close so I could pull mine and do a bottom like that. I think I will have to go about 200 miles down river then that traveling will give me a whole new set of problems itself. Then there is the coast of the materials and labor, there is no way I can do all the work that far away fast enough by myself so I will need at least two guys. Well I hope to do mine in the next two years. I saw one guy remove his whole mahogany bottom and replace it with two layers of marine plywood. Not sure how great that worked out four years later. He used two layers of 1/2 but his boat was a 40ft Owens. but then again you can't go wrong doing it the way you did yours. Did you use any West on the ones that you didn't replace. I think I would on the old wood even if it was in good shape. Mine is mostly bad in the back, my front is in good shape. Thanks for sharing.

Yes we used West system. Check into the companies with large industrial cranes. They can lift you where you want and do the work there.

I did it will 10 k out 10k back in I don't have that kind of money to throwaway. I will have to make the 200 mole trip one day to do my work. it still will cost about 5k there and back but the is taking a month off work.

She ought to be healthy now!!

that's high..

here are some closer views of the degradation of the silcon bronze fasteners. the worst deteriorated ones were the ones going into the rib ends at teh bilge where it stays wet and in teh aft I had some water for a awhile. the one on the far right was out of a dry rib. this is why the insurance companies pretty much mandate a thorough survey of the fastener conditions even tho the wood is good. All of my planks were fine.

Wow!! Very informative. Was there an event or issue that made you decide to refasten? My boat was from Virginia Beach when I bought her.
It seems once I moved her further north hull issues seem to slow down. Growth,electrolysis. worms etc.. I refastened her 12 years ago and rebedded and refastened all the struts and thru hulls. Amazing what 100 miles north will do.

this last survey was good on the planking condition, but a bad storm loosed the fasteners and damaged some of the ribs....the boat had to be pulled to repair this. .the inside was pretty dry since doing some seams in 2006. . Will have more confidence in the hull now for the future. We are going to rebed the struts and rudders too.

closeups of the laminated ribs...the double ribs should add great strength to the hull





Ernie and myself

Mitch Newell, master carpenter and shipwright, reviewing the days repairwork.

with everything opened up it has allowed a thorough cleaning of the bilge, which is now spotless. we will mostlikely paint the bilges out with grey bilge paint.

giving a good soaking with cuprinol green 10



Ernie, a master painter and boat craftsman..working at Newell's Boatworks

more cuprinol

That is one heck of a job you have going on there. Looks good.

thanks..yea..more than I anticipated doing but it was needed... will be happy when its done. My wife and I have loved the boat for the past 22 years and we are hoping to really enjoy it more for the next 22!

Oy Vey!! That's a project. Bless your soul for giving that boat the proper attention she deserves. You are a saint.