Want info about maintaining a wooden boat

[Auspicious]

No - I haven't lost my mind.

I'm doing some volunteer work for the Annapolis Maritime Museum and will be taking on maintenance of a 1988 Maynard Lowery deadrise workboat owned by the Museum. Mr. Lowery passed away a few years ago and even before that all his records were destroyed by flooding from Isabel. Mr. Lowery's son (Stan I think) is still around and I'm planning to track him down and see if he'll meet with me. I'm working my way through the boat figuring things out and getting all the systems in order. It's a pretty basic boat (running lights, stereo, VHF, radar, fishfinder, porta potty, battery charger) so other than getting the engine in reliable condition (gas V8) it will just take a bit of time and a lot of cleaning.

However, I have no experience with wooden boats. I have found lots of information and books about *building* wooden boats, but nothing about *caring* for wooden boats. What can I expect in terms of maintenance to keep the boat in first-rate condition? Paint? Zincs? Anything else that might become a "gotcha" I should watch for?

I appreciate any thoughts ya'll might have and particularly pointers to books and other resources.

[CharlieJ]

Two suggestions.

The Calvert Museum in Solomon's Island has older wooden work boats that they maintain. They have some experts in the field, and Solomon's is close enough to drive to from Annapolis

Then there is the WoodenBoat forum. Just be careful there that you are taking advice from some one who really KNOWS what they are talking about. Some of them are just wannabe's.

[AdriftAtSea]

You might also contact several of the wooden boat building schools that are often listed in the back of Small Craft Advisor Magazine. There is one that runs an educational advert in the magazine every month, but the name of it escapes me ATM.

[Auspicious]

Thanks Charlie. Good idea. I have friends in Solomons so I can visit them and meet with the folks at Calvert also. I'll schedule that.

Dan - I have made some calls to places in the back of Wooden Boat (haven't tried Small Craft Advisor yet). They all want to sell me something, which is fine - they are in business - but the Annapolis Maritime Museum isn't in a position to pay for a course for me even if the courses really had anything to offer for the issue at hand. Everyone has wanted to talk about building wooden boats instead of caring for them.

I guess I'm looking for a book called "You Own a Wooden Boat, Now What?" <grin>

[AdriftAtSea]

I'd imagine, that some of the places might give you some advice if you talked to the people there and explained your situation. :)

[Oldrig]

Another possible contact might be the International Yacht Restoration School in Newport, Rhode Island:

www.iyrs.org

They are a nonprofit, but they do a lot of promotion of their courses, and that might be what you'll get is a pitch to take one of their courses.

Still, it's worth a try. They restore some beautiful classics.

I know there are some good shops in the Chesapeake area that still build and repair wooden boats. Zimmerman Marine (www.zimmermanmarine.com) in Matthews and Deltaville, VA, comes to mind. But again, they might want to talk you into hiring them to restore this boat.

You also might want to contact my friend and colleague, John Page Williams. His day job is as Senior Naturalist at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, but he also writes about powerboats for the magazine where I work. He is a great lover of traditional Chesapeake Bay (and Down East Maine) workboats, and he might be able to give you some leads.

John Page's e-mail is JPWilliams@savethebay.cbf.org. If you contact him, mention that Joe Myerson gave you his e-mail.

I think most of the wooden-boat experts will tell you that it takes lots of time and practice to bring wooden boats back to their glory and keep them that way. But if you're a skilled woodworker, I would think you could pick it up.

Hope this helps,

--Joe

[Auspicious]

Thanks Joe! Great leads.

Do you work here in Annapolis? CBF headquarters is downtown, isn't it?