Cracked Ribs

[NPeth]

Hi all,
spent the weekend playing with Grumpy and have pulled out the engine bearers ready to redo the inside. I now face three problems that I could do with some help on.
1.Two of the ribs seem to have cracks in them. The cracks don't seem to go all the way through the ribs but don't look good. Hopefully a picture of them has uploaded. Should I replace them or will they be OK?
2. The timber in the bilge is so soaked in oil that that it just clogs up sand paper. How do I get the oil out of the wood.
3. Ross is getting so much done on his skiff that I feel under the pump to make more progress. How do I deal with deal with the preasure

[hookster]

Nick if the pressure from Ross's quarter gets too much to bear, perhaps you could explore the sabotage avenue???

Good to see you're still jumping from boat to boat...so Suffrajet is on the naughty chair for the moment?

[bootlegger]

Replace the whole rib or you could sister new timber over the rib. Just cut another section the same as the rib. lay it over the top extending say a foot past the crack either side. the nail and rove it in.

Ive tried all the different methods of getting rid of oil. Right now to me the only solution that works is replace the planks.
If you do find a way that works let me know.

[NPeth]

OK guys,
time to reveal the full extent of my ignorance. I have looked at the broken ribs and decided that I probably should replace them. This means removing the two wooden pieces that run down the side of the boat and hold the floor against the hull. They are nailed and roved through the hull. Then I need to remove the cracked ribs.
Questions. 1. Is it hard to get the copper nails out and how do I do it?
2. What wood should I use for the new ribs and where to I get it?
3. Where do I get new copper nails, rove punch etc.?
4. Am I insane to even think about tackling this?
Looking forward to you advice.
Regards
Nick

[piquet95971]

No you are not insane. It is a bit time consuming and as we all know you have to take your time with these things.

I'd replace the ribs completely.

Don't even try and save the ribs. Split them with a hammer and chisel next to the nails long the grain and take them out in pieces/strips ( makes good kindling). So that all that you have left behind is no timber rib but a whole lot of copper nails and roves sticking through the planks. Then with some nail cutters cut them off just under the rove. Knock them back through the hull.

For the ribs Measure the length that you need add 150mm to the length so that it sticks up past the coaming and gives you something to hang on to when pushing the rib into the right shape. Measure the width and the thickness that you need. The timber looks like it is probably spotted gum which was used quite a lot for the ribs when these boats were built.

If you haven't access to a table saw and a thicknesseser to machine the timber that you need for the ribs let me know and I can machine them up for you.

As far as the nails and roves are concerned they are available from either the Wooden boat shop in Sorrento or Boatcraft Pacific in Qld or Boatcraft NSW. They stock nails, roves and rove punches.
You need access to a source of steam to be able to bend the rib to the required shape. I've got a Wagner wall paper steamer that worked well in steaming the ribs that I had to replace.

With the nails I think that it would be best to go up a gauge when you do replace them if the are 12g (2.64 mm square)got to 10g(3.24 mm square. Stay with the same size roves they are probably 1/2"

The roves from the wooden boat shop are ,in my opinion, not the correct shape. They are too tall and have a sharp edge that cuts into the timber.

I get my roves from Boatcraft NSW, good quality and pleasant to deal with.

If you need to talk about this or would like me to come and have a look and offer some moral support Or practical assistance give me a call on 03 98774963
Cheers
Peter .

[piquet95971]

Those bits of timber that hold the floor against the side of the boat. Do they go full length of nearly full length of the boat . They are probably the stringers. To remove these cut the top off the nail where it comes through the rove and using a parallel pin punch , punch them back through the stringer enough to get a claw hammer and a plywood packer under the nail head. Lever out the nail. It may be hard to get this stringer out of the boat if all the deck beams etc are still in the way.

It looks to me as though the broken ribs that you photographed are in the bow area so that makes it a bit easier. Easier than having to take out the engine bearers as well to replace the ribs.
Again cheers
Peter.

[NPeth]

Thanks Peter, you have been very helpful and have given me much to think about.
Regards
Nick

[piquet95971]

How any planks each side does your boat have? Probably either 7 or 9.
And how many ribs do you think have to be replaced?

The timber that I eventually used for the last couple of ribs that I snapped was 85 x 19mm decking. From this I was able to cut and machine 4 ribs. A lot of decking is a bit green which suits our purposes just nicely as it helps the timber bend easier and means a bit less steaming to get it pliable.

One thing you will need lots of clamps!

[hookster]

Nick if you don't mind I might just piggy-back with you on the ignorance horse for a moment...what sort of timber was used for the planks back in those days? And does anyone know where to get it these days (or a suitable replacement? I'm going to need some planks replaced down the track and would prefer not to use ply if I can get away with it) Thanks, Jon.

[piquet95971]

A lot of the boats were made from Pacific Maple or Meranti. It was readily available at the time as a general purpose.

It is a fairly easily worked timber. Here in Melbourne it is available from a couple of different places. Mathews timber in Nunawading or Tile Importers in Oakleigh. They may not have the lengths that you need to replace the plank in one piece but the timber can be scarfed together to get the lengths needed.