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Comment by Britton Moses on August 28, 2013 at 10:50am

You have a good point and I am beginning to see the importance of the caprail. There are quite a few areas where I've sanded the bulwarks already and have gone right through the fiberglass.  We're going to reinforce the entire bulwark seal with another layer and then look at adding a caprail back on.  The idea of laying another layer or two of fiberglass to the entire boat has been nixed! Plan is now to continue with sanding, dig out and repair wet/rotted areas, attack as many of those nail heads as we can see, and then seal her back up with a good paintjob.

Comment by Clyde A. Phillips on August 26, 2013 at 10:41pm

Britton,

I don't often argue with Bob (who is sure this damage is due to a leak around the chainplate) but if this picture shows that all the rot (wet wood) is removed (and the leak is due to the chainplate) the chainplate would be visible here, but the rotted area doesn't seem to even reach the chainplate.  My thought is that at one point a former owner had the caprails removed, along with the taffrail and its stanchions.  Even with a layer or two of added fiberglass to "replace" the caps, the corners on the bulwarks (from the flat top to the sides) are too sharp for the glass fibers.  That makes for a weakness and therefore an "accident ready to happen."  It looks like a small (it could be normally invisible) crack developed naturally (as a result of the sharp corner) or as a result of a blow of some sort that allowed moisture to enter and start the rot.  As I remember the process of glassing the tops of the bulwarks the sides (inside and outside) of the bulwarks were fiberglassed first.  The top was then belt sanded to produce a flat across the top, including the top edges of the inside and outside layers of fiberglass.  Then a thick layer of fiberglass mat (not woven) was saturated with resin to cap off the bulwark.  The mahogany cap rail was added not only to keep the traditional look but to also keep the traditional usage of protecting the top of the underlying bulwark.

If I were to reject having a caprail (which I definitely would not) I would fabricate a lookalike caprail, using possibly some sort of recycled plastic plank a little wider that the bulwark with the four corners nosed over and epoxied to the top of the bulwark.  I would want to recess the under side so as to truly cap the bulwark, having at least a 1/4" deep recess.

So much for what I would do.  That vessel you bought is your yacht.  I should reflect what you want.  So, go to it.  I'm sure you will because you have already started.  Enjoy the whole process; each thing you do is a part of the process and another step to overboard.

Peace,   Clyde

 

Comment by Britton Moses on August 26, 2013 at 12:28pm

Wet wood removed