Interior-Wood Works, How To Get It Lighter?

[stefano_ita]

Originally Posted by GILow

Nothing to do with humidity in our case, just extra material. The melamine itself had not absorbed moisture, I don't think it was of a construction that could absorb moisture.

As for the added weight, I would argue ANY unnecessary weight is a bad thing. Sure, 200lbs is not a lot to a 45 footer, but as soon as you take that logic you end up with 200lbs of extra panelling, plus another 200lbs of something else, 200lbs of something else again. Before you know it you are inches lower in the waterline.

I reiterate, we have (conservatively) removed two metric tons from the boat since we bought her. None of those two metric tons were required to make the boat sail better or added in any way to the safety of the boat. They were, truly, dead-weight, that slowed us down, made us more difficult to handle and had the potential to prolong our exposure to danger should we be running from a bad bit of weather.

Keep it simple, keep it light. No additional layers, they are not your friend.

Matt

Thanks for your opinion...

Ok for humidity, about weight a 45 ft sailboat, used just by a couple (except 42 days a year for chartering, max days allowed by italian law) 200 lbs battery, 150lbs air conditioning, and lest's say another 600 lbs for more water/fuel tank. the boat empy weight 10 tons (20.000lbs about..)

How did you removed 2 tons? how bug was the boat? Boat original weight? Did you find any feelable (means you can really feel it) improvement of performance or better behaviour in bad seas?

Thanks
Stef

[stefano_ita]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Use it for a while , then consider changes. ANYTHING you do that is not the norm in yachting will devalue the boat in most eyes.
I couldnt open the link, but once you start using the boat you will discover there are more than enough projects on the list.... and changing the interior will likely take a back seat to others.

Get it, but what about if you "don't like" (meaning it's not like you thought it) the boat? You couldn't stay always on the deck and never inside because dark and so on...

Ok maybe sailing and living you don't give too much importance about the interior colour, enjoying all the rest, going here and there and in case of bad weather...Well turn on TV or call friend, drink and play cards ...Coupling as adviced by some cf usersOk joking...

[GILow]

Originally Posted by stefano_ita

Thanks for your opinion...

Ok for humidity, about weight a 45 ft sailboat, used just by a couple (except 42 days a year for chartering, max days allowed by italian law) 200 lbs battery, 150lbs air conditioning, and lest's say another 600 lbs for more water/fuel tank. the boat empy weight 10 tons (20.000lbs about..)

How did you removed 2 tons? how bug was the boat? Boat original weight? Did you find any feelable (means you can really feel it) improvement of performance or better behaviour in bad seas?

Thanks
Stef

Stef,

Our boat was originally designed to weigh around 13 tons. The original build added over one ton of fibreglass in the construction of the hull. Then the main owner added a bit over one ton to the keel ballast.

By the time we bought the boat she was somewhere between 17 and 18 tons including all the "stuff" inside.

I don't know how this affected the performance of the boat because I have no really good comparison, but the main owner, who put 42,000 miles on her, was really adamant that I needed to reduce the weight to restore her performance.

Since we have bought her we have added a complete new sail wardrobe and reduced weight by two tons so of course the boat sails infinitely better than when we bought her. I used to be happy to see 5 knots, now I grumble at less than 7 knots. How much is weight and how much is sails and rigging, I don't know.

Items of weigh reduction include removal of refrigeration equipment, spare parts, old redundant parts, lining materials, chipboard shelving, radio equipment, old wiring, old plumbing, MASSIVE speakers... geez the list goes on. To give you a clue I have made nearly $1K from taking stuff to the scrap metal merchants.

My point is that you have to kind of remain ruthless about this stuff. The main owner of the boat before us lived aboard for 20 years, and over that time the boat got heavier and heavier. I can understand this, an improvement here, a new system there... before you know it you are hauling around two extra tons.

So the guys suggesting paint over laminates are talking sense, just from the weight perspective.

And yes, the point about "different" stuff is well made. When I think about it, we quickly discounted quite a few boats that had been "modified", including one Swanson 42 where the owner had played around with the aft cabin to put in an extra companionway. At the time we could not work out why, but it just felt wrong. Maybe the owner was clever, maybe it was a good idea, but it scared off two serious buyers who were cashed up and ready to buy.

Matt

[zeehag]

if you like the boat but not the interior, keep looking.
it is a sin and a shame to befoul good and unavailable green teak wood with paint .
keep looking until you find a boat that rips your heart out. it will have a plastic liner, and no wood. keep looking. save the wood interiors for those who appreciate them.
paint on teak devalues boats. it is ugly and shameful.
sorry.
boats are wood and dark.
nice oil lamps and other lighting techniques make the lovely and romantic ambiance more cozy .
dont like it?? go all plastic with liner.

IF YOU DO NOT LIKE A BOAT, DO NOT BUY IT. there are plenty out there you may just fall in love with. the nice dark wood ambiance is not for you.

[Scaramanga F25]

Strip the finish, oil or varnish, off with a paint remover then experiment bleaching the wood with a bleaching chemical such as a very high % of hydrogen peroxide or a more toxic but effective commercial wood beach.

[stefano_ita]

Originally Posted by GILow

Stef,

Our boat was originally designed to weigh around 13 tons. The original build added over one ton of fibreglass in the construction of the hull. Then the main owner added a bit over one ton to the keel ballast.

By the time we bought the boat she was somewhere between 17 and 18 tons including all the "stuff" inside.

I don't know how this affected the performance of the boat because I have no really good comparison, but the main owner, who put 42,000 miles on her, was really adamant that I needed to reduce the weight to restore her performance.

Since we have bought her we have added a complete new sail wardrobe and reduced weight by two tons so of course the boat sails infinitely better than when we bought her. I used to be happy to see 5 knots, now I grumble at less than 7 knots. How much is weight and how much is sails and rigging, I don't know.

Items of weigh reduction include removal of refrigeration equipment, spare parts, old redundant parts, lining materials, chipboard shelving, radio equipment, old wiring, old plumbing, MASSIVE speakers... geez the list goes on. To give you a clue I have made nearly $1K from taking stuff to the scrap metal merchants.

My point is that you have to kind of remain ruthless about this stuff. The main owner of the boat before us lived aboard for 20 years, and over that time the boat got heavier and heavier. I can understand this, an improvement here, a new system there... before you know it you are hauling around two extra tons.

So the guys suggesting paint over laminates are talking sense, just from the weight perspective.

And yes, the point about "different" stuff is well made. When I think about it, we quickly discounted quite a few boats that had been "modified", including one Swanson 42 where the owner had played around with the aft cabin to put in an extra companionway. At the time we could not work out why, but it just felt wrong. Maybe the owner was clever, maybe it was a good idea, but it scared off two serious buyers who were cashed up and ready to buy.

Matt

Get it thanks...
Just my one cent...the added weight to the hull by tichker fiberglass...in theory would be better, stronger boat, not a racer but very strong and sometimes is better...

[stefano_ita]

Originally Posted by zeehag

if you like the boat but not the interior, keep looking.
it is a sin and a shame to befoul good and unavailable green teak wood with paint .
keep looking until you find a boat that rips your heart out. it will have a plastic liner, and no wood. keep looking. save the wood interiors for those who appreciate them.
paint on teak devalues boats. it is ugly and shameful.
sorry.
boats are wood and dark.
nice oil lamps and other lighting techniques make the lovely and romantic ambiance more cozy .
dont like it?? go all plastic with liner.

IF YOU DO NOT LIKE A BOAT, DO NOT BUY IT. there are plenty out there you may just fall in love with. the nice dark wood ambiance is not for you.

Ok maybe not the best interior ever but with white kitchen counter( that already has), white pillow in the saloon, for sure it will look better....

I like the boat for all (except maybe the interior colour, not the layout or whatelse)

Just maybe a wrong idea is start from a fast cruiser (very stiff and well done hull), load it with all what is necessary for full time liveaboard..


Or like this



This is a feeling 486, i like the interior, slower(heavier, larger, less 4 feet in lwl) than salona 45 but better loading capacity, older (at the same price 1998 vs 2005) and 2 x more berths for chartering...

[stefano_ita]

Originally Posted by Scaramanga F25

Strip the finish, oil or varnish, off with a paint remover then experiment bleaching the wood with a bleaching chemical such as a very high % of hydrogen peroxide or a more toxic but effective commercial wood beach.

Thanks i think it will work for sure

[Captndave1]

One way to get the effect you are looking for is to sand the old finish off, then rub white paint into the grain with a rag wiping off the excess. Then let dry and then varnish. Makes a beautiful light wood grain finish.

[OS2Dude]

Think about just using lighter colors for your cushions and pillows. Maybe a mirror or two. Paint behind the shelves (If Any).

You may actually learn to like it. My wife did not like the tone of the wood on our boat, but now thinks it is great with the contrast of the lighter pillows and such.

If the darkness in the wood is old varnish you may be able to strip the wood down, sand it a bit and re-finish with a lighter or clear sealer. (Varnish, Urethane, etc.) The POs on ours had used multiple coats of tinted CETOL over the years and one day I'll try to get after that as well.

Let Us Know

[Franst8]

I believe there is a product for bleaching wood. I've seen the results on wood paneled walls and the result was beautiful. The final finish was achieved with a clear sealer. Finished it looked like blond wood. You could try Google for products.

[Kreef]

HI Stefano just this week a friend of mine who specializes in car interior woodwork restoration did a whitening of an Imbuia TV cabinet and was heartened at the result as by spraying the wood with one of those air brushing guns a lot of the woodgrain came through.The paint was a water based acrylic type paint used on internal walls and the effect was stunning.The way to do it therefore is to spray it on and not paint it with a brush so the layering can be very strictly controlled .He actually used a small gun that guys use for airbrushing motor cycle tanks etc.
His intention was to fully cover in paint with no grain showing but the unintended effect was far better and the person he did it for was very very pleased with the effect.Breaks the boldness of white only .
All the best and happy sailing. Kind regards,David.

[stefano_ita]

Originally Posted by Kreef

HI Stefano just this week a friend of mine who specializes in car interior woodwork restoration did a whitening of an Imbuia TV cabinet and was heartened at the result as by spraying the wood with one of those air brushing guns a lot of the woodgrain came through.The paint was a water based acrylic type paint used on internal walls and the effect was stunning.The way to do it therefore is to spray it on and not paint it with a brush so the layering can be very strictly controlled .He actually used a small gun that guys use for airbrushing motor cycle tanks etc.
His intention was to fully cover in paint with no grain showing but the unintended effect was far better and the person he did it for was very very pleased with the effect.Breaks the boldness of white only .
All the best and happy sailing. Kind regards,David.

That's what i wanted to hear
Thanks

And thanks everybody, i will let you know for what i will do

[Glacier Crews]

Teak does not bleach as easily as other woods, but is an option. Remember that you are cooking in this small space. We clean all the wood on our 45' boat every three months ---- cooking and live aboards.

We love white, but there are always trade-offs. Too many for us. Hence the lighter stain, but not white.

If you fish, cook, have children aboard, are a slob, cannot afford crew or do not intend to employ crew; want to spend your time wood working; have a defined idea of what you expect.