Tidahapah Refit

She sure is looking good Benn. Can't wait to see her with full sails.

Seems like you have a trustworthy boatyard on the task, although it must be tough being away while the work is being done.
Working away certainly helps to pay the bills though.

Looking forward to seeing the relaunching photo's.

Tidahapah
"This is a timber plank boat the paint job is not going to last more than a few years"


Yep, I'm with you on the paint front Benn.
I'm doing some seam & hull patching at the moment - going for preservation before looks and holding out until next year for a full hull & topsides paint.
cheers, john

Benn, that is outstanding!!

Looks great Benn.
It costs down here being in a shed, I was in one a month when we did the osmosis and some painting, but at least the guys keep working if it rains.
I`ll be interested how the Dulux Hi-Gloss Enamel house paint goes, sounds like a commonsense approach.

BruceK said:

Looks great Benn.
It costs down here being in a shed, I was in one a month when we did the osmosis and some painting, but at least the guys keep working if it rains.
I`ll be interested how the Dulux Hi-Gloss Enamel house paint goes, sounds like a commonsense approach.

Click to expand...

Bruce
It is only of recent times that I have used International gloss
Previously was always standard exterior gloss enamel

Well things have slowed down a bit as we have struck some problems.
Not totally serious but bad enough.
have found some rot in the stbd bulwarks and the planking.
This is a result of 2 things. When we built her we lined the inside of the bulwarks which gives the side a nice clean finish. The down side is that it also creates areas where moisture can accumulate and eventually cause rot.
The other baddie is the side deck scuppers. Traditionally these are lined with lead ,sealed Sika these days ( previously bitumastic) and copper nailed in place.
The sika gives up after a while and so another moisture spot is made. This is especially so when the boat has not been out in the salt water as often as it should.
Any how I now have a few upper deck ribs and planks to renew, these are being laminated and put in place as we speak so will add another week or so to the project.
Better now than later

Sorry to hear of the extra repairs. Is it possible to put vents high up in the inner bulwarks for the future?

Bruce,
That is exactly what we are going to do.
Remove the lead, smooth and glass the scuppers with bi axial glass ,a couple of layers and in the bulwarks above each scupper install a small unobtrusive shell vent.
This should eliminate the problem forever.

I am thankful once more that the boat is out of the water and in the shed as it is pis**n down with rain again.
Work goes on.
On my side of the country we are just preparing the Yande Yarra to head back up to Port Hedland tonight.
Will be there in the morning to take bunkers , reinstall all our tyre fenders, put our tow rope back on the winch and get back into the towage caper.

Cheers
Benn

Yes, commiserations re the extra unpredicted work needed. My boat predated the totally fibreglass era, so I have has to have the stern cap rail replaced and I even hacked a chunk out of the port aft cabin wall to replace a section of ply wall rotted from water entering a poorly sealed window pane. At times like that I tend to envy those with all F/G newer boats - then I compare what mine cost me to the 3-5 times the price I would have paid for one of those, and I don't feel so bad. At least with timber you can hack into it and replace and make them as good as new, with simpler techniques than plastic fantastics.
I comfort myself with the fact that only having a salt water deckwash is better in terms of that sort of timber invasion/rot potential, Benn. Not so good if one wants to flush the anchor chain off however, so I get the mud off out there, then do a fresh water rinse at the berth when we come in.

Tidahapah said:

Bruce
It is only of recent times that I have used International gloss
Previously was always standard exterior gloss enamel

Click to expand...

Ben have you ever read Peter Culler? I have a book by him and have learned much. He makes a lot of apologies and then goes on to talk about the good common sense of using house paint. House paint gets all the weather (except salt) and is expected to last 10 years. Do a good prep and one should be very satisfied.

He designed several very successful planked boats that employed cross planked bottoms like your Tidahapah. Looks stronger and one can use shorter planks.

Like with many projects its sometimes one step forward and 2 back.
I think we have turned the corner.
We were at the gloss painting stage until we found the rot in the stbd gunwhale planks and ribs.
Douggie has this just about licked, new ribs in, new bulwark clamp installed and the old planks are off.
new planks to be cut , bevelled and put in place, caulked and filled with Norflex (no putty)
Hopefully within a week we will be looking at completing the paint work and getting ready for going back in the water and ready for the masts.

A couple of scary photos of the stbd side

Just a shame I am not at home to lend a hand with this work. I have been itching to break out and use my new caulking mallet for ages and looks like I won't get a shot at it.. ( It's a nice piece of work to made out of Lignum Vite with cast steel rings)
Cheers
Benn

John,
By the way I see Garth Fielding ( Anchorline Marine Brokerage) has another cracker boat on the market.
Like Flemingo , Rufred is a boat that Fred Fleming built for himself and was later sold.
It originally had a Kelvin diesel in her but the present owner removed that and installed a new John Deere plus active stabilisers.
It is Garth's boys who are working on Tidahapah at present.

Cheers
Benn

Yeah Benn, saw Rufred on the anchorline site - another lovely Fleming boat, but I'll just stay with the one for now
Sorry to see your latest rot adventures, but at least you have the right team on the job. I'm currently chasing a splash of rot in the foredeck toerail, plus a couple of opening seams - not too hard.
I was still hoping to make a late dash north, but it'll have to wait until next year.
cheers, John

Great work

All I can say is that as you say in your posts " Your wife better not sell it all for what you told her it cost " otherwise someone will get a hell of a deal...

Great job on your detail of work it sure makes for interesting reading.

Gee Ben, lot of work, lot of money, but well worth it.
I met the son from (the Father & Son) Anchorline brokerage when I flew up to see an IG36 they had. They get some interesting boats. Hospitable, straightforward, one of 2 decent brokers I`ve met. The cab fare from the airport exceeded my return air fare, I made no mention of it, but he kindly offered to drive me back to Gold Coast Airport.

Bruce,
Yes really great people.
Garth (Father) Andrew (Son) are in the brokerage business and Craig and Doug ( Sons) are both boat builders who did their time with Wrights and Cattersons both very good boat building companies. Wrights are known all over Australia.

These guys have a great sense of responsibility and a fantastic work ethic.
Which is terrific when you leave your boat in their hands and clear off across the country to work.
Cheers
Benn

OK, Not much to report but work is progressing, got a photo from the yard today and the planking on the Stbd side is now complete, cap rail to go on, caulking and filler then back to finish the paint job.
I fly home in 2 days so will get back down to the boat for a couple of days.
I wish I was going to spend more time but a previous booking to go chasing Bone fish in Kiribati (Christmas Island) for 2 weeks has to be fulfilled.
I will try and throw up a few more photos before I go.
I'll get a week at home after this to supervise the completed job.
It will then be back to work to get the payment money.
Cheers
Benn

Good to see it coming together Benn. Do these guys work on fiberglass boats also?

Would you mind checking the price of diesel in Christmas for me?

I am currently at Fisherman's Wharf in Vancouver. My brother arrives in a couple of days and then we head up to Desolation Sound. I've now got 75 hours on my new motors, can't wait to get close to 100, change out the break-in oil and then start operating normally. Driving me nuts having to run at heavy loads, but the book and the dealer emphasize the need to do it to get longevity from the engines.

Brian,
1. Yes they do work in fiberglass
2. Will endeavour to find out the price of diesel in Christmas island whilst I am there.
It's a great place ,especially for fishing, diving, surfing.
The inside anchorage does not have very much water these days so most vessels purse seiners and some yachties anchor off outside the wharf.
Fanning Island a bit further north is supposed to be absolutely fantastic but there is no service to the island anymore.
used to be a surf camp up there.

You still thinking of coming across on your own bottom?

Cheers
Benn

Benn
Look forward to hearing from you when you get back from Kiritimati.

Yes, I am still thinking about doing the trip. But shipping is looking to be an attractive alternative.

Well that's the major repair on the stbd side completed and it was undercoated today.
Now we are back on track to complete the paint job, reinstall the rails and supports. Chain plates and stay plates to go in.
Then it is back in the water and get the masts installed.
Stabiliser arms rigged etc.
Had a couple of photos but appear to have lost them.
Back to the boat on Monday.
Cheers
Benn

Hows Mr T going Benno?

Was thinking the same thing today. Inquiring mind want to know Benn.

O Guys,
Just home from Kiribati after chasing Bonefish on fly for 2 weeks.
After a bit of root canal work in the morning will be down to the Gold Coast City Marina to check on Tidahapah.
Apparently looking pretty good and just about ready for the water but still a bit of work to do.
masts should be stepped a few days after we hit the water.
Will try and post a few pics over the week end.
Cheers
Benn

Got down to boat today to check on progress.
Railings being fitted and just about completed.
Antifouled this afternoon and we decided to redo the Prop Speed even though it was about 90% good.
Going back in the water on Tuesday afternoon and then the masts can be fitted and all the small jobs completed and paravanes set up.
have attached a couple of pic plus on of my mates Norman Wright that is out in the same yard.
Cheers
Benn

Lookin good Benn! She's getting quite a birthday.

Nice sleek hull lines on that Norman Wright as well.

Looks stunning Benn. Really looking fwd to seeing her on the water

Paul, are you still moored up at Mooloolabah, or further up the coast now? When do you think you'll be coming by on the way back home to Sydney..?

The boat's looking good Benn.

Pete: Aquabelle is now at Keppel Bay marina, at Yeppoon. Still a ways to go north. Planning to be back in Sydney in November so I expect I'll be tracking past you in October. Will definitely schedule a meet-up.