Hull and Deck Restoration
Posted April 27, 2005
Repairs are looking absolutely perfect. That's the good news! I have a lesson learned already. On a wooden boat - never think that what you see on the surface as rot stops there. We have dug deep and found much more damage from the years of prior neglect. We are estimating a total of two months on the hard at Huckins. This posting will provide a snap shot over the last five weeks of progress in each of the areas.
Posted March 17, 2005
Tortuga is at Huckins for the last of the major restoration effort (I hope). The goal of this yard visit is to remove as much soft wood as possible from the hull and deck forward of the mid-ships line. This is the first time we have focused on this area since purchase. I knew even prior to purchase that much work was needed here. The Alaskan series are well known for rain water intrusion specifically around the foredeck drain scuppers on either side at the bridge wing. The rot began there and then flowed aft and down. The forward bow and anchor locker section damage was caused by poor maintenance of the upper deck area and allowing the anchor rode to lay stacked (and wet) on the beams at the floor of the locker. We will remedy that by installing a ventilated shelf above the beam. Tortuga entered Huckins the second week of Feb and has been awaiting yard time since then. As you can see by the photos below all of the soft wood has been discovered and major work has begun to remove and prepare for patching. I anticipate being out of the yards the first week of April.
Below waterline hull repair
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Starboard hull looking up at worm shoe. Major worm damage from not hulling out often enough. | Zincs on coolers are totally gone whereas zinc on rudders are almost intact. There may be a bonding problem we need to look at. | Another view of the worm shoe from the starboard side. | More evidence of zinc problems. |
Above waterline hull repair
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Starboard side looking aft. | Port side bow. | (1) Starboard side mid-ships. | Starboard bow. | (2) Port side mid-ships. | Starboard side looking forward. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| (3) Port side at head in master berth. Rot is from bad drain hole from foredeck. | (4) Port side planking below drain from foredeck showing how significant the rot problem is. | Port side at head in master suite. | Starboard side at last portlight above master berth. | (5) Port side bow. Water drainage in anchor locker has destroyed the frames. | (6) Port side bow showing where water intrusion started. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||
| Looking forward. | Looking forward. | Port side box looking aft. | Port side bow. |
Foredeck and Portuguese wing repair
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Port side looking aft. The drain scupper that caused the damage was in this corner. | Starboard side looking forward. The new vertical supports have been installed to allow forming the the new.. | ..skin on location rather than building a frame on the ground and then moving the new skin on board. | Looking toward starboard. | Looking aft and starboard. |
 |
||||
| Looking forward and to port. | ||||
 |
 |
 |
||
| Starboard looking forward. | Port side looking aft. | Starboard side looking aft. New lower frames are already in place. |