Wooden boat maintenance

[rivergate]

Hi

 

I have my boat booked for docking towards the end of March - looking for advice please:

 

Where is the best place to buy caulking/oakam, tar and everything else I will need..?

 

What else do I need to do it properly..? ( Its been 20 years or so since I helped caulk a boat and those days are a bit of a blur now )

 

Cheers

 

Jon

[jake_crew]

Best to talk to Jem Bates at Bulborne dry dock.

[zenataomm]

A caulking iron and a small boy.

[rivergate]

 

...funnily enough I have arranged the use of 2 small boys although they are crying and wailing at the prospect....

 

Ive googled for suppliers but if anyone has recommendations Id really appreciate it..?

[Chris-B]

I will second Jem or Ade @ Alvecote

[rivergate]

Thanks guys...Im after the suppliers of materials ideally...

[PaulJ]

Pretty sure it was these I used last time I needed anything wooden- was for a broads cruiser though and not a narrowboat.

http://www.traditionalboatsupplies.com

[rivergate]

Cheers

[stagedamager]

Liver grease are worth a shout as are traditional boat supplies.

We're currently docking Judith Ann. A good set of caulking chisels and a good mallet are needed.

Some people like to use a pitch roller for the seams however I find keeping it thicker and using a scraper works well and allows more working of the material.

Keep you oakum nice and tight and keep hitting until it rings!

When caulking, caulk in loops, not straight into the Seam, as it allows a tighter finish.

Give ade a shout at Alvecote as he is a fountain of knowledge and I believe the best wooden boat man on the cut.

 

I hope this helps

 

Dan

Oh. And a pitch boiler. In essence a butane or propane ring burner and a bucket.

[David Mack]

There are a few current or former wooden boat owners on the forum that do/did their own maintenance who should be able to advise. Billybobbooth, Ian Mac and Carlt come to mind.

[rivergate]

Thanks Dan - lots for me to go and buy there ...and I understood some of what you wrote!

 

How long is Judith Ann on dock for..?

[stagedamager]

.....as we run the yard..... as long as we need! we're currently putting guards on, and bottom caulking is due Saturday.

 

She'll be on for a few more days yet!

[stagedamager]

.....as we run the yard..... as long as we need! we're currently putting guards on, and bottom caulking is due Saturday.

 

She'll be on for a few more days yet!

[rivergate]

lol ...that's the way to do it

 

Do you allow visitors..?

[stagedamager]

Yep!

[FadeToScarlet]

Yep!

Especially visitors bearing packets of Chocolate HobNobs I believe....

[Jrtm]

Ill get you the 3 supplyers i know of later today, but youll have to mix your own pitch and chalico from the bits they supply. They do both dry and greased oakum. But if you use jem or ade they can mix it for you and you xan then use it.

Just to give to an idea of time scale ive done all bottoms every seam and few other jobs in 2 weeks, had them doing some and me as ive been sorting other problems as well. Best bet is to start getting odd bits like some spare shearing as you may need it and off cuts of oak about 7-10mm thick is what you want by any hight and any width.

[Jrtm]

Best to talk to Jem Bates at Bulborne dry dock.

Its full of clayton boats!!! We wont alow outsiders in!

[ditchcrawler]

Moored opposite Spey at the moment she goes on dock tomorrow at Middlewich until 4 March

[rivergate]

I saw the picture of Spey on your blog ....do you have any others..? Very nice looking boat - something about those tankers that really appeals to me

[ditchcrawler]

I saw the picture of Spey on your blog ....do you have any others..? Very nice looking boat - something about those tankers that really appeals to me

No I just took that one as I passed yesterday

[stagedamager]

A load of chalk. Handy to mark spots to work on as you go round!

[hounddog]

Liver grease are worth a shout as are traditional boat supplies.

We're currently docking Judith Ann. A good set of caulking chisels and a good mallet are needed.

Some people like to use a pitch roller for the seams however I find keeping it thicker and using a scraper works well and allows more working of the material.

Keep you oakum nice and tight and keep hitting until it rings!

When caulking, caulk in loops, not straight into the Seam, as it allows a tighter finish.

Give ade a shout at Alvecote as he is a fountain of knowledge and I believe the best wooden boat man on the cut.

 

I hope this helps

 

Dan

Oh. And a pitch boiler. In essence a butane or propane ring burner and a bucket.

A passable caulking iron can be made by blunting a cold chisel. A bit of fine work with a grinder and it's even possible to make the groove. There is a scandanavian company still supplies them but i don't have a link. Liver Grease as said, wonderful place for tar and pitch. He sells proper creosote too which is my recommendation to go under tar. There is an east coast company still selling oakum, It would be my advice to avoid Jem Bates for supplies as he simply retails the above stuff with eye-watering markup. Coyle Timber for rose-headed nails.

[Jrtm]

Jem used davey & company london ltd.

I was going to use these people, http://www.traditionalboatsupplies.com/search?controller=search&orderby=position&orderway=desc&search_query=Tar&submit_search=

 

Most oakum is around 50-60 a 4kg bale

I cant find it but there was a company that sold the tar and oakum both plane and with tree tar in

[carlt]

Liver Grease Ltd http://www.livergreaseltd.co.uk

Interesting characters who've been threatening to retire as long as I've dealt with them but still seem to plod on selling all manner of weird lotions and potions.