GrahamC Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 Hi, I recently bought a project boat that needs a lot of work - an old Derben Oceanette 15ft. I’m looking forward to fixing her up and getting her going again over the course of the year! She needs a new deck, stringers, transom ect but unfortunately, someone before me already made a start on the repairs, so I can’t measure some of the old rotten wooden parts as they were disposed of years ago. It appears to me that someone may have replaced most of the stringers running lengthwise. They appear to be sound when you knock on them. I’m worried that they have been replaced with ones that are too small, they don’t seem like they really achieve anything? I don’t know if I should leave them alone, rip them out and put something stronger in there or leave them there and put bigger ones beside them. Currently they measure 25mm wide by maybe 12.5mm high. The transom sounds a bit dull in places, so I'm going to replace it. Instead of having the small bit of wood just in the center, I was going to make it a full height bit of ply. Also, for the ribs, transom and deck I was thinking of using 15mm CD ply. I'm really interested to hear any thoughts or opinions of anyone who has some experience in things like this. Cheers, Graham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankS Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 (edited) Graham. Welcome aboard Fishraider I hope you didn't pay a lot of money for that project as it needs a hell of a lot of work and work means dollars. Looks like it could do with new stringers min 50mm wide by about 75mm high gluing ply together to make up 50mm is ok and then wrap the whole thing in glass, same for transom, even the gunwale rubbers are going to cost a fair bit of dollars. Personally I think you would have been better to look around for something a bit more complete, unless you got it for pennies and love working on old boats. The trailer looks very good. Frank Edited January 15, 2018 by frankS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted January 15, 2018 Author Share Posted January 15, 2018 Hi Frank, It didn't cost me much, $200 for the hull, not too worried about it needing a lot of work as I'll be doing it all myself. I have reasonable experience working with fiberglass, not so much with boats but I figure it's all just time. The trailer I got for free as a salvage project that was going to the tip, repaired over a few weeks for $500 in parts and steel, including the brakes! Too long for the boat but I can modify it. Took lots of time and some work with the MIG, but I enjoy working with my hands. This will (hopefully!) be a similar thing. Thanks for the thoughts on the stringers, I didn't think they looked quite right... that gives me something to go on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfishbig Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 Ideally the stringers should be high enough to touch/ join up with the floor. You have a unitised and very strong structure then. You could consider putting some cross stringers in as well. With the transom you have to decide whether you are going to repair it from the inside or the outside. It might take a lot of work removing the old wood in either case, but trickier doing so from the inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankS Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 Well Graham, the price was right specially for the trailer. If you like working with your hands you will have many enjoyable hours and hopefully the rewards at the end of the journey will please you. Keep us posted with progress and any help I can give you are welcome to, PM me with anything I can do. Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted January 15, 2018 Author Share Posted January 15, 2018 Thanks gents, will do. In the next few weeks when there's some progress I'll post something up. It'll be something to read / laugh at my mistakes at the least 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antonywardle Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 Welcome aboard! Looks like a bit of work for you. Something to consider. If you are replacing the transom, then there are a couple of options. Replace it the same as it is, You can go with plywood which will be fairly straight forward.Consider over drilling the engine mount holes and filling them up with epoxy, so that the chances of getting water ingress is less when you redrill for mounting the engine. The other thing you might consider is to make the transom up of a jigsaw of small blocks, that have been pre-coated in epoxy, then you reassemble and epoxy them in to the transom. This means that if water gets in, it doesn't go through the whole transom, only a couple of pieces are impacted, but s a lot more work. The other thing that I am thinking of doing on my boat, is to make the transom full height and removing the engine well as I get a lot of slopping in. With the full transom this would be reduced, and I'd add an engine pod on the back to give me a slightly longer water length and a bit fishing room and more flotation at the back. Need plenty of research. Good luck with what you decide, and take plenty of photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfishbig Posted January 15, 2018 Share Posted January 15, 2018 58 minutes ago, antonywardle said: Welcome aboard! Looks like a bit of work for you. Something to consider. If you are replacing the transom, then there are a couple of options. Replace it the same as it is, You can go with plywood which will be fairly straight forward.Consider over drilling the engine mount holes and filling them up with epoxy, so that the chances of getting water ingress is less when you redrill for mounting the engine. The other thing you might consider is to make the transom up of a jigsaw of small blocks, that have been pre-coated in epoxy, then you reassemble and epoxy them in to the transom. This means that if water gets in, it doesn't go through the whole transom, only a couple of pieces are impacted, but s a lot more work. The other thing that I am thinking of doing on my boat, is to make the transom full height and removing the engine well as I get a lot of slopping in. With the full transom this would be reduced, and I'd add an engine pod on the back to give me a slightly longer water length and a bit fishing room and more flotation at the back. Need plenty of research. Good luck with what you decide, and take plenty of photos. It's more the drain holes in the outboard well that cause a problem (and the holes for bungs). The outboard well will collect rainwater and it is fresh water that will cause dry rot - not saltwater. Also the transom will be stronger if the wood is one piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locodave Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 I would love to do a project like that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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