Help on a replacement Gunwale

[Micheal&Gab]

Thanks Peter that would be good, have a friend in a timber place who can help out with the cost and profile but I may look at a smoother grain timber. It may be a tad easier to bend. Did you soak the wood before you installed it?

[RobertB]

Hi Folks,

When I bought 'Palamida' she had a section of the gunwale that had rotted. Mostly because she was parked on an incline and the nose was down and the rain water could'nt get away.

My rail is light in colour and after asking for peoples thoughts as to what timber it might be, I was advised to try Hoop pine.
So I got some from the local timber man. All his in stock stuff had joins in it and so I had to have a piece specially milled to be the length I wanted and to have no joins in it. This only took a few days for them to do.

I then cut the curve out of the length, which I remember being 200ml wide. I also routered it myself. It fitted ok.
With some ageing, it has turned a slightly more yellow colour and the match it not as perfect as when I first fitted it. This would suggest that the original was not hoop pine.
My local guru thought it may be Celery top pine.

Anyway, the wood does look good.

Cheers, Robert

ps am busy repairing the trailer at the moment.

[geoffr]

Hi all:

Every now and then I trawl back through the old posts here and find the occasional gem of info I may have overlooked in earlier years.

The thread below is one such area worth reflecting on, especially as I am about to replace my gunwales with wood, to maintain the look and 'feel' of my boat.

Interestingly, back in 2009 it seemed the going price (at least in Woodend) for two 6m rails of Queensland spotted gum was about $500.

Just before Christmas, I had two such lengths machined to the correct profile and delivered to my door in suburban Geelong for $320.

Not sure if the wood has come down in price, or our joineries here are far more competitive.

Anyway, I'm waiting for the winter layup to replace my current rotted original rails.

I'll post some pics of the process; in the meantime I have oiled my wood twice and it's hanging out the back under shelter, maturing.

It certainly is lovely wood, and comes high recommended for its salt water tolerance.

Cheers, Geoff

[atles]

i have a guy who is making mine right now out of wood for my refit
he is a perfectionist when is comes to wood my budget is $300.00 for the gunwale
i let you know how it looks and some photos in a few weeks

[Mark]

Gents:

I will be interested in pics and updates from both of you as I am preparing to do the same, have a woodworking sailing friend who is about to help with shaping and routing but I have been unsure of best wood , was told Victorian or tasty ash, (long grained) and I am also keen to understand technical aspects of actually getting the rails on.

Geoff, did you oil with Tung oil that was my friends recommendation ?

Cheers

Mark

[geoffr]

Hi Mark:

I went to my local large hardware chain store, read the labels of about five different products, concluded they all contained much the same ingredients, then bought the cheapest as a trial.

After two good coats I am very pleased with the results so far.

The next challenge is to strip off the old gunwales, recover the nuts and bolts and bend and attach the new rails.

A friend has offered his drill press to punch out some wooden plugs, also of spotted gum, from a scrap piece the joinery gave me for such a purpose.

I'll post pics when I get a chance.

I considers aluminium and rubber options, but just like the look of a bit of wood on the boat.

Cheers, Geoff

[atles]

mark
it will be made out of hoop pine varnished on the under side first in three pieces for each side
so you do not have to bend it much ,bolted and then the top will be varnished
i would like to put a few more run off point on the deck that's why the 3 pieces
here are some products it is used for
Boat building (masts, planking, deck beams, frames, marine plywood), aircraft construction, wood wool, paper products, arrow shafts, broom handles, cooperage, beehives, brushware, dowelling, blind rollers, draughting implements, boat oars, musical instruments (violin and guitar bellies), scaffold planks, match splints.