Pilot House Repairs From Leaky Windows

[bob mitchell]

I bought "Wilson", hull 113, with years of neglect. One problem was the leaky windows had done years of damage to the pilot house plywood - so since I am planning a new outside helmstation high in the cockpit I started at the back of the pilot house. There are some construction details provided in the photos. Seems to be very straight forward. The first picture shows the general area with my friend Stroud taking a few measurements.

The idea is to sawsaw back to good wood. Then, since the pilot house is constructed of 2 layers of 3/4 plywood lagbolted to the deck, make cuts to remove the outside plywood layer so when the new piece goes on it will overlap the inside piece for a strong joint. I used the router for the vertical cuts( 3 passes), and a skill saw set to 3/4 depth for top cut. (see photos) Then fill in the inside layer and cut out for windows -more on that later.

The best news was that the fiberglass on the deck had a lip that the two 3/4 pieces
fitted in front of, so the deck and deck supports that the lag bolts go through and on into the plywood pilot house sides were absolutely solid!

It is worth noting that the plywood pilot house sides butt straight to the deck and are lag bolted from underneath through the deck framing, so it is a very simple joint to work with. Since you are screwing upwards into end grain right between the two pieces of side plywood, be sure to screw and glue them together and give them time to set so the lagbolt won't force them apart. You should also drill a pilot hole for the lag bolts.

[Clyde A. Phillips]

Bob,

One thing about the joining of house and deck. The lags at that joint were considered by the builders to be holding the deck up, not the house down. Granted the house was installed (completely built in another shop and brought to the hull as a unit) well before the interior was built. The bottom edge of the house was planned down the correct curve fore and aft (this curve seen as you look at the side of the house horizonally--the other curve was molded in) and beveled to match what the deck would eventially be. The two bulkheads boxing in the main cabin held the house while the deck was fastened to the house. Prior to this fastening the deck sagged somewhat and the lagging held it up in place. I'm sure the interior, as it was built in after this process, supports the deck from below. Interesting work and a good job.

A warning to those of you who own late model Jersey built boats: The Leesburg boat (the last built), and I don't know on which boat this started (Ack may have started it on the boats he built at his shop after the Dorchester yard quit building), had one 3/4 inch layer and the other was smaller, I think 5/8 inch but it may have been 1/2 inch. I do not know which is what. Measure the thickness before you route it out for the overlap joint.

Clyde

[bob mitchell]

Thanks for that invaluable insight - I would have NEVER figured that out, BUT I was very suspicious that the butt joint could not be as simple as it appeared. I do plan to beef up the horizontal piece that runs along and spans the deck/cabin joint inside the cabin (called the "cabin clamp" in Boatbuilding with Plywood by Glen L Witt, page 245, "Cabin Side Junction" illustration). Probably will also glue in some pieces between the deck beams and fasten the cabin through the deck and them as well, and will add verticals to hold some drawers and support whole cabin/deck assembly.
I really appreciate you sharing the nuances of these boats with us. No one would ever know that if you had not mentioned it. I am afraid that I love the "academics" and documentation of Newporter construction as much as the real thing. Stroud, my friend, calls it a "body of knowledge".

[Clyde A. Phillips]

Bob,

The strength in the house/deck joint is more in the deck/house joint (what?) than any added members. The builders (they other guys that did this work) added a "carlin" along the joint inside the house. My recollection is that it was a piece of Philipine mahogany, probably 3/4 X about 4 inches (hey, it's been 45 years or so).

I'll see if I can find something on the faded blueprints I have. I need to find them so I can get them to my daughter who will be scanning them to disk to give all you fine and lucky Newporter ownerss.

Clyde

[Justine]

Great pictures and information from both Clyde and Bob. I know that Moonfleet had this same rot area, on the two back corners of the pilothouse going about half way forward on the sides. No matter how much caulking I put on the windows they always leaked.

Thanks guys :)