Sea Skiff Caulking Questions/Information -- CCSSC

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Date Posted: 07:42:38 07/13/04 Tue
Author: Alan
Author Host/IP: dhcp024-209-246-179.cinci.rr.com / 24.209.246.179
Subject:

Sea Skiff Caulking Questions/Information

I have a 1964 Chris Sea Skiff 35' Corinthian (plywood/Lapstrake). I am in the process of doing a minor restoration. (outside hull/bottom and inside bilge area repainting). When I scrapped/cleaned the inside bilge in preparation for the bilge repaint, I noticed that someone had run a caulking "bead" on the bilge inside between the garboard planks and the keelson for the entire length of the boat. This did not look like an original "factory" caulking job as some of it was pretty sloppy. I don't know what type of caulk this was, but I did find cartridges of 3M 101 Polysulfide and also 3M 5200 Polyurethane on the boat.
Some of this caulk was pretty deterioated, so I pulled off all I could get too from the inside between the garboard & keelson. On these boats, I believe the garboard plank is fastened to the keelson with screws from the bottom of the boat through the garboard screwed into the bottom of the keelson timber. I think Chris Craft originally used somekind of caulking similar to 3M 5200 between the garboard plank and the keelson rabbet. However, after 40 years, maybe some of Chris Craft's original caulk may be breaking down and that is why someone ran a newer bead of caulk in the bildge area between the garboard & keelson seam? What to do now? I was thinking of trying to reef out as much of the deterioating caulk along the garboard to keelson seam and clean that seam as good as I could and then recaulk that seam as best that I could. I was thinking of using 3M 5200 as 5200 may be similar to what Chris Craft originally used or 4200 (if I ever wanted to remove a garboard plank - I hope that I never have to!). Oh yes, I also do plan to recaulk the outside garboard to keelson seam with some type of caulking (3M 5200? 4200? 101? Interlux Brown Seam Compound?)
Can someone give me recommendations on what to do as far as possibly replacing this caulking bead that someone had run between the garboad & keelson on the inside of the boat? (1) should I bother to recaulk this garboard to keelson seam at all on the inside? (2) If so, what type of caulk to use? A polysulfide (3M 101)? A polyurethane (3M 5200 or 4200)? Also, what recommendations as far as recaulking that garboard to keelson seam on the bottom/outside of the boat?
I appreciate your knowledge as I am trying to get this caulking question solved before I do something wrong and then have to strip paint, reef out the wrong caulking solution and do the job all over again. Oh, by the way, the structure/framing of this boat is in good condition without any rot.

Thanks

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Replies:

[> Re: Sea Skiff Caulking Questions/Information -- Roland Corsi, 23:44:29 07/13/04 Tue (ool-4356dca1.dyn.optonline.net/67.86.220.161)

Hi Alan,

I have a 1965 Chris Craft sea skiff sedan for about 10 years. The problem you are seeing at the keelsom is common.
I myself would not put any thing on the inside of the boat.
However I would clean out between he keelson and the garboard
plank on the out side and tap in some woven cotton before you chaulk. Make sure it is dry and clean before doing so.
In the past i have used only chaulk and it does not seem to hold as well as with the cotton in the grove. The cotten will give it something to bite to and when the boat is in the water it will swell and hold better. Again a old timer showed me that one. I would use 101 or 4200 on the bottem, you can use 5200 also, I think the 5200 works better, and will still come out after a few years. The resson i say don't put anyhing on the inside is
it will probably break louse and just get it the way of water passeges to the bilge pump.If i can help you in any way you can e-mail me or give me a call 860-350-2368
mon-fri 8-5 Weekends i am on the DARK KNIGHT
Hope I was helpfull to you, Roland Corsi

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[> Re: Sea Skiff Caulking Questions/Information -- Bill, 09:03:35 08/27/04 Fri (c-24-2-204-65.client.comcast.net/24.2.204.65)

Your 1964 Chris Craft was assembled using an early version of 3M 5200. If small pieces of the 5200 that are exposed fall off, I wouldn't be concerned. If you ever try to remove and replace one of these planks, you will find the bond almost perfect to the point where you will have to saw the plank edges apart with a hacksaw blade.

As stated above, no caulking compound should be applied inside the hull. It is useless there.

I would be very careful reefing out material between the garboard plank and the keelson on the outside of the hull. Whatever you put in there (even cotton) will keep the wood from expanding and sealing as it was originally intended to do. If the boat leaks at this point now when fully swelled, some of the fasteners may have failed due to the swelling and contracting during use over the years.

As you've probably discovered, the Sea Skiff lapstrake plywood hull is amazingly strong and durable although the same can't be said for the cabins. If it doesn't leak, I wouldn't fool with it. Eventually, you may have to re-fasten the hull but you can do that without disassembling it.

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