Glen-L.com

I have tried numerous alternatives over the years with pretty good success, but this time around the use and storage of the boat will be entirely different. This application will be stored outdoors under a vented cover during the bulk of the summer heat, so several methods such as tinted epoxy may not be the absolute ideal setup. I am truely leaning towards the wood filled seams.

I have used the cedars and even the cypress in the wider boards, which has worked out pretty well. But with the planks being all mahogany, using either wood in smaller widths will probably not be the ideal solution here, IMO.

So please show me your decks and maybe explain some detailed setups. If you know or have any buddies that has some time of their wooden runabouts with simular designs, please step up and type a few words of wisdom for me.
You can even add your thoughts on the caulks if you have some time on the setup too. But it must hold varnish and i have never liked the cupped sections which puddles the finishes, which seams to always take place with flexible stuff

TIA.

Mike, I thought there was a thread started on here somewhere for this topic....I'll try to search it out later.

On my Morgan, there was some sort of black filler they used between the teak plank strips on the companionway hatch that sanded flat with the wood and didn't puddle. 5200 maybe? It was kinda hardish, and held up well as long as I kept varnish on it.

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

This should be a great thread-I can't beleive there are no more responses. I am about to lay my decking and would like some ideas also.
Can you fibreglass over caulk??
When using two different timbers to create the strip effect; do you have a problem with movement in the timber? ie opening up joins
Hope I am not hijacking your thread Oyster but there seems to be quite a grey area here that we need some plain simple pic's and examples.
It would be great to see some photos.

Kind regards

Wayne

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Building the Bonanza

I took the easy way out and used 6mm car pinstripe with epoxy and varnish covering it till you cant feel it. On the crackerbox I am planing on using epoxy mixed with 405 filler and graphite power to match the sides

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Malahini, SEAN-NÓS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd6vkPjEy4U
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No problems, this thread was basically a mindless ramble. I have used a lot of the filler seam materials. But I wanted to really use wood this time and was hoping to see someone come out of the woodwork with some good alternatives that had time on the decks with some that I have not used before.

I absolutely love the black look. But there is a problem. I used West black dye and dyed a wood filler thickened epoxy. I was able to fair the hull smooth. But black absorbs the sun like crazy. The hull does not stay smooth. Some days the epoxy expands, some days in settles. It definitely moves.

If you were going to leave it outside, I would not use a dyed black epoxy.

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Dave

My Riviera build - the Midnight Cry Project

Video of Midnight in Action
Blog

Few things in the world measure up to the thrill and satisfaction of boating in a boat that you built.

Dave when you say hull do you mean the actual hull or the seam glues? I almost always use wood fibers to tint the resins and to create the thickening agent for solid veneers. This also creates a dark seamline for regular planking and shows basically black under varnish. Constrasting seam colors between deck planking is for sure a different animal.

Let me clarify. I used black dye in my deck seams. Due to its lovely desire to absorb heat it contracts and expands. In the shop I was able to sand my deck completely smooth with no deviations across the seams. Once the deck was exposed to sun, everything changed.

_________________
Dave

My Riviera build - the Midnight Cry Project

Video of Midnight in Action
Blog

Few things in the world measure up to the thrill and satisfaction of boating in a boat that you built.

On the Squirt I used wood flour thickened epoxy in the seams and covered it with vinyl tape, the used Perfection Clear over it all. So far it has held up well but it does stay garaged. I am in Central Florida so that garage approaches 100 degrees but there is no sun.

I tried something new on the Console Skiff. I used wood for the seams for the rear seating and anchor locker top. I used what is commonly referred to as "Blonde Mahogany" although technically it is Avodire. I love the way it works - just like mahogany - and is almost white. I just laid it up today so I have no practical experience on how it will hold up in the sun. But Century boats used it for their lighter colored decks (which is where I got the wood). The wood is 55 years old and still white after the finish was sanded off. I figured if Century used it, it was good enough for me.

Have you decided which route you'll take yet?

I always enjoy your posts.

KB

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"I'm not trying to get it perfect. I'm trying to get it finished!"
Squirt Build: http://www.tubbytug.com/SquirtHome.html

I am extemely new to this, actually just started, but I have seen a few posts where wood strips, maple, etc, were used for the deck seams. Because black sounds so appealing, would there be any reason that ebony couldn't be used? (except for price)

Also, are your seems kept flush with the deck boards or recessed?

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Experience is something you don't get until just after you need it.

the thread on "deck seam variations" is the first topic in the "Miscellaneous" section. (it's a sticky to keep it at the top.

Okay for those considering wooden decks and watching Roberta move towards her finish, I was wondering about your progress too and thought that I would give you some encouragement and some food for though. If you are in a hurry to get the boat ready, here is a quick and easy glue up.

I only have a six inch ellipitcal crown with a drop sheer in a 31 inch running length. Be for warned though, do not have any liquid refreshments while working the cork screw planks out though.
I went a bit unusual and used teak enlays with the bookmatched honduras mahogany for the decking.



The job only required a few clamps too.

Looking great Mike!!

_________________
Boat building can best be defined as an endless series of
tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dream

I missed this thread until now. I am going to use System Three Gel Magic tinted with their white pigment. The Gel Magic has a higher operating temp than most other epoxies, so I'm hoping it will be more stable. White will help, too. We will see how this works. All my decking is on and it is all the same species. I will be staining the perimeter and King plank with Bartleys Gel Stain. I have tested it with resin and cloth and it works fine.

Roberta

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Roberta
Built Zip "Oliver IV" and Super Spartan "Jimmy 70"

I ended up with the teak enlay against honduras mahogany, truely an unconventional method, but what is new you know. Its just wiped down with some denatured alcohol and still has a long ways to go with finished sanding, staining and varnish. i did get all the way down the sides with the rail plank and enlays though.