FL Residents / Sailors - Need your help

[zeehag]

beautiful boat. i hope you are able to find a rail haulout instead of a sling haulout, as railroad is easiest on boat hull.
i hope her restorations are well done and that she continues to be as gorgeous as she is in these pictures.
i have always loved the sea witch. beautifully designed cruising ketch.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by zeehag

beautiful boat. i hope you are able to find a rail haulout instead of a sling haulout, as railroad is easiest on boat hull.
i hope her restorations are well done and that she continues to be as gorgeous as she is in these pictures.
i have always loved the sea witch. beautifully designed cruising ketch.

You are right about a rail. I would hate to hear they broke her back.

Finding them today along with a yard that would block is just another challenge he would encounter if he chooses going that route.

[SeaWitch1939]

Originally Posted by Cadence

You are right about a rail. I would hate to hear they broke her back.

Finding them today along with a yard that would block is just another challenge he would encounter if he chooses going that route.

Thanks all for the advice. I have the org. documents with her, and there are owner written instructions on strap position and also where to block her.

I'm not 100% convinced she is in bad structural shape. She is weather beaten for sure, and has a couple of bleeders through hairline cracks. But she has not been moved sense 2012, at which time, she received a good structural survey on her structure and was fully insured by Hagerty.

UV and some areas of water intrusion yes, but major structural issues that would prevent her from begin hauled, carefully, not so sure. She will be dived and checked before any hauling for sure. But the planks all the way around are in place, and seem to be in good shape. I had 3 very experianced x wood boat guys all say if the boat was really in bad shape, she would show it in her planking etc....She is also dry in the bilges as is. So I will check her well before doing anything like hauling, but i feel she is in okay structural shape as is. Not like she is sitting on the hard dried out. She floats nice, dry, and the planks seem to be stright, and fastened good. It's all gamble, we shall see!

If i can find a rail haul, that would be preferred. That won't happen till in the spring. My goal now is to move her, prep her for a run North up the ICW, and move her up in the spring. With as little out of water time as i can.

Wish me luck!

[a64pilot]

Good luck my friend, I think all of us want this to turn out well

[lesterbutch]

Please remember to come on the forum with occasional updates during the process.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[SeaWitch1939]

Originally Posted by lesterbutch

Please remember to come on the forum with occasional updates during the process.


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Towing is set, the interior is cleaned up a LITTLE

Next step, sand the interior to bare wood, let air out some more, and have the Perkins running in the next week. I will update as she moves forward.

Thxs

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by SeaWitch1939

Towing is set, the interior is cleaned up a LITTLE

Next step, sand the interior to bare wood, let air out some more, and have the Perkins running in the next week. I will update as she moves forward.

Thxs

Just an FYI: don't sand the bulkheads (or any ply) much at all. You will break thru the thin teak veneer and it will never look right again.....

[SeaWitch1939]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Just an FYI: don't sand the bulkheads (or any ply) much at all. You will break thru the thin teak veneer and it will never look right again.....

Boat was built in 1937, i doubt there is any ply or veneer. But thanks for the heads up, I will watch close when i sand a test area to see what i'm dealing with. I'm also repainting unless i strike a solid, varnish-able hardwood, then i might just varnish it, instead of re-painting. Depends on what i find.
I learned it working in a boat yard, you watch the paper for color, once you see a tiny mix, you know your into something other then the paint. I will use that so i don't go into any good wood.


Thxs

[Cheechako]

ahh yes... older than I thought!

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by SeaWitch1939

Boat was built in 1937, i doubt there is any ply or veneer. But thanks for the heads up, I will watch close when i sand a test area to see what i'm dealing with. I'm also repainting unless i strike a solid, varnish-able hardwood, then i might just varnish it, instead of re-painting. Depends on what i find.
I learned it working in a boat yard, you watch the paper for color, once you see a tiny mix, you know your into something other then the paint. I will use that so i don't go into any good wood.


Thxs

Paint the bright work outside. Keep it on the inside.

[SeaWitch1939]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Paint the bright work outside. Keep it on the inside.

Well to a point!

Once I see what wood is under that paint inside, i will know if it should remain exposed (varnished) or not. For the outside, all teak will remain silver, hit with seawater regular. I might throw a little oil on it for now, it's been awhile, lot's of uv exposure.

The rest will remain painted, except those mast. They are going to come down, and varnished proper. That epoxy paint is history off them & the booms.
On the other hand, if i do the mast real nice, i have to do the deck bright work also, to match... LOL it will never end will it?

The port lights seem to be painted over bronze, to me another sin, so they will be stripped and polished one day too.

Thanks

EDIT: On the other hand, who am i fooling, this will be the photo i use when it comes time to put here back looking right. 1960 San Diego...I know bright work all over. But she looks so good like that. I just feel painting it all is lazy.....So this is how she will look. I might lose the light blue paint. If i can bring myself to changing her color a bit.....

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by SeaWitch1939

Well to a point!

Once I see what wood is under that paint inside, i will know if it should remain exposed (varnished) or not. For the outside, all teak will remain silver, hit with seawater regular. I might throw a little oil on it for now, it's been awhile, lot's of uv exposure.

The rest will remain painted, except those mast. They are going to come down, and varnished proper. That epoxy paint is history off them & the booms.
On the other hand, if i do the mast real nice, i have to do the deck bright work also, to match... LOL it will never end will it?

The port lights seem to be painted over bronze, to me another sin, so they will be stripped and polished one day too.

Thanks

I didn't mean paint teak just exterior mahogany. It would be a crime to paint either below.

[hellosailor]

Formica was invented in 1912 but plywood was first patented around 1865, although some forms of it go back much further. I wouldn't expect to find it in a 1937 boat but that's not so far away from the plywood PT boats of WW2.

But personally, I'd call sanding the interior a "priority zero" cosmetic job. Cleaning out the fuel and water tanks, checking seacocks and plumbing, lighting and electrical work, bilge pumps, surely there must be a longer list of more urgent things to do??

Of course that could also be because I just hate sanding. Seems to take forever and infuse dust into every pore when I do it.(G)

[SeaWitch1939]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I didn't mean paint teak just exterior mahogany. It would be a crime to paint either below.

Got ya now. yes, all exterior wood will be painted less the teak.
Inside, if i see some nice mahogany wood, I will varnish it, anything else will be painted also.

Honestly, i'm kinda hoping the cabin side wood, under the paint (as of now) is mahogany! Mahogany and polished bronze Mmm Mmm! < I doubt it...I would guess old growth oak. But I can hope!

We will see soon when i start sanding. I will update this once i know in a few.

Old small photo, but shows it in the 40's or so. I wonder if the two forward doors are solid mahogany, with the centers painted white, or just trimmed?
If they are solid, the white is coming off, and the whole shabangel' is getting varnished, for an example of my plans. What else is mahogany under paint in there right now, who knows?

[CS Cruiser]

Great looking boat! Wish you all the best with her.