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Vintage CT Scull Restoration....looking for info

3K views 29 replies 5 participants last post by  O2Fsh 
#1 ·
Some of you who have ventured over to the boats and blinds forum may have seen this but I really felt it worthy of a post here on the main forum. FYI, this thread is going to be picture heavy so I'll post it in several installments due to the pic limitation per post. So if you're reading soon after I post, give me a few and there will be more.

Back in November of last year, I had a chance to pick up a scull boat that had made its way from VT to CT. The gentleman that I purchased it from delivered it on his way down to FL for his holiday vacation. She was in pretty rough shape cosmetically but overall sound condition.

I received the boat on the 21st of December where I began a game plan for restoration. The owner had actually got the boat for free from another gentleman off of eBay. The eBay ad described the boat as "circa 1890 and believed to be factory built".

Here's what she looked like when she arrived in my shop. The coaming was rotten as was some of the decking near the coaming on the starboard side. I could tell from initial examination, that some of the ribs and cockpit braces were cracked or deteriorated. All of the original bronze hardware was still with the boat including half rounds for the hard corners, bow and dagger board. The bung plug receptacle is copper (or at least I believe it to be as I haven't cleaned it up yet) and the original bung plug was still attached. She had seen some rehab over the years. At some point a motor board had been attached but was no longer there. It had been fiberglassed with poly resin, including a piece of fiberboard glassed over on the decking. The solid board that acts as the keel and bottom of the boat had been saturated with some type of resin or epoxy in order to halt the board from rotting completely away. I later learned what it was in my quest for her history but I'll get to that shortly.













Continued...
 
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#2 ·
My first step was to remove the rubrails, coaming and decking. This involved the removal of 100s of bronze flat head screws with many of the heads/slots being caked with bondo.

Rubrails off.


Next up was the decking & coaming, since I was going to replace the decking with new cypress I elected to hole saw around a lot of the screws, thus allowing me to lift the deck of and remove the plugs from the bracing.




I replaced 4 of the ribs, built several back up with thickened epoxy and started replacing the cockpit framing (all done with ash).
Here it is with partial fairing to the inside done.


After a crap ton of sanding out what I feel sure was lead paint and fairing, here is where I'm at on the inside. Completely faired, with just a little bit of touch up sanding to do.


I'm going to run the cockpit braces all the way across, even where the opening is for now. My plan is to make a template using the original opening, bracing pieces and remaining good piece of coaming to mark the braces. Once the new braces that run around the cockpit are installed I will cut everything so that is perfectly flush and square.

I'm waiting on my cypress to be kiln dried so I decided to flip it over and start on the hull.

Upon flipping, this is what I was dealing with.


Cont...
 
#3 ·


While working on this I started researching the history. As I can't recall how many times I've just set and marveled at the craftsmanship and to think they did this without power tools. There was no glue in the original construction of this boat. Simply tons of brass screws, a few bolts, copper rivets and cotton caulk for the seams.

I contacted the eBayer that had originally listed the boat. He was kind enough to give me a call back and give me a touch more insight into the boat. He found the boat in New Hampshire from a guy who had a yard full of stuff for sale. She was laid up outside with several other junk fiberglass boats. Her beauty hidden under all the delaminating poly resin and glass and full of water. Fortunately, he recognized that she need to be saved. He said the boat was so waterlogged that it took four guys to load her into the bed of a truck (two people can carry her with ease now). Which by the way, I have yet to mention, the decking, hull and framing are all white cedar. While the center board, transom, coaming and a few other braces look to be white oak. Anyway, he brought it home with the intention of restoring it. He removed the old glass and put it up in his barn for well over a year, as once the glass was removed it continued to seep water. He was also the one to saturate the center board with West System epoxy. He said the board was brittle to the touch and you could have easily pushed through it. I'm very glad he did this as the board was as sound as new once I got it. So as it stood, I knew a little more about her history, but obviously was still on a quest for more.

Over the past couple of nights I have been working on fairing the bottom. As I mentioned the center board was solid but part of the starboard side had either rotted off, drug off or something of the like. Using cabosil thickened epoxy I spent several evenings building the starboard side back up and shaping it to match the port side. Of course, after quite a few more hours of sanding, she is pretty much ready for glass.





So as if this wasn't all cool enough, here's where it gets even cooler. I decided that I would do a little research with the maritime museums, particularly those of the NE. I was somewhat familiar with Mystic Seaport and had visited their site before so I started there. I navigated my way to their partial catalog and typed in the search string "scull" of which I got 147 hits. Most were simply text links but there was an option of sorting by pictures. Low and behold the first duck boat to come up was this one.



Along with the following information:
Title: Duck boat

Accession Number: 1979.28
Category: WATERCRAFT
Type: duck boat
Maker: Brooks Boat Co.
Place: USA, CT, New Haven
Date: Circa 1880
Materials:
Description:

Of course at first glance, I was like, "No Way!" So I enlarged it and started to look closer. Upon further inspection, I am 99.9% sure that Brooks Boat Co. produced the boat I know own.

Here is my reasoning:
First, Brooks Boat Co. was based out of New Haven, CT during the 1880s. Making it quite fathomable for the boat to wind up in NH and matching what the previous owner had passed along, that the boat was "factory built circa 1890".

The cover is the exact same shape and built with the exact same locking mechanism. (I haven't taken a picture of the cover)

The boat in the picture was obviously canvas decked and it looks to have some type of rail holding the canvas around the edges. My boat, has no cotton caulking between any of the decking seams (while still having plenty between the hull seams) and there are screw holes in the decking consistent to what would have been a rail.

Next up, my coaming has these little blocks with notches for a board that served as what I assumed to be for a seat mount. The seat in the picture would fit into them perfectly.

Lastly and one of the big ones for me, you can see in the photo some kind of rope going around interior of the coaming. I assume it was for placing vegetation, although I'm not 100% of its purpose. However, my boat has several bronze eyelets with the remnants of some type of shockcord (obviously a later replacement to the rope) and there are also holes in the coaming that match up with where the missing eyelets would have been.

The only discrepancy is overall length. My boat is 14'1" and 48" wide while the one pictured is 15'1" and 48" wide. Of course this isn't really a big deal as I imagine many of these were custom built and may have been material dependent.

Regardless, I'd love to hear what you guys think. If anyone here on the CT forum knows anything about the Brooks Boat Company or knows any of the the descendants of them that I could I could contact, I would love to have some more info or possibly some copies of photos I would be greatly appreciative.

As for the restoration, I'm keeping the boat as true as form to possible but still making her a functional, lasting float. I've looked into canvas decking but am probably going to go the faux route which involves using 8 oz glass, squeegeeing the epoxy after applying the layer of glass and not filling the weave.

I definitely want to pay homage to this boat but I will hunt her next fall. And unless my life falls on dire straits she will be passed down in my family for generations to come!

I'm not sure if Mystic Seaport actually has the boat in their possession or if they simply have that picture. I left a message with the ships plans person today and hope to hear back from her soon.

If you would like to follow the progress of the restoration, feel free to give Toller Boatworks Facebook page a visit or like.

Toller Boatworks Facebook

Thanks,
Brad
 
#6 ·
Little bit of work in between hunting and honey-dos.

Faired out and a coat of epoxy before beginning glass work.




Well, thought I was done fairing, after sanding found a few more spots that needed to be touched up.


Lastly, spots touched up and center board getting glassed.

Brad
 
#7 ·
Here's the latest I've found out. Mind you when I bought this boat, I knew virtually nothing about her history and never expected to find this much. The pictured boat is actually in the possession of the Mystic Seaport Maritime Museum. It has been in storage since 1989 but can be viewed by making an appointment. This isn't so much about my boat, but about it's design. After looking at this picture, there is no doubt mine was built by Brooks Boat Co.

http://library.mysticseaport.org/initiative/Impage.cfm?PageNum=92&bibid=36560&ChapterId=7

 
#8 ·
Here's the latest. Center board is glassed and weave filled. Sides are now glassed and waiting on a second coat of epoxy.





Also, a little more info from a member of duckboats.net Oarlock sockets are identical to those on this boat. No doubt she's A Brooks Boat and that legendary decoy carvers, Albert Laing and Chang Wheeler, had something to with her design.



Brad
 
#11 ·
Thanks guys!

Got her flipped back upright. Ran all the cockpit braces. Makes me admire the work they did by hand even more. The ends of each are compound cuts. I have a template of ply that i made of the cockpit opening. My plan is to lay it out on the braces and mark it off. I can then come in and add the curved braces of the coaming. After that I will install the decking and come back and cut the opening out, thus having a nice flush opening. I also added some support at the bow so that I can mount a bow handle securely.



Brad
 
#13 ·
Once all the braces were in I marked what was left of the shape of the cockpit opening onto a piece of 1/2" ply. One side of the cockpit framing was in good shape so I marked the middle of the would be opening and cut down the middle and the good side, thus giving me a template for the deteriorated side. Once done, laid it on the boat and marked where it lines up on the braces.



Started working on the frames last night. Should be able to finish them up today. It will be a week or two before my decking lumber is ready. In the mean time I'll work on repairing the section of coaming I'm going to salvage, coating the interior with epoxy, painting the interior and polishing some brass.



Brad
 
#14 ·
NCSUDucker said:
Once all the braces were in I marked what was left of the shape of the cockpit opening onto a piece of 1/2" ply. One side of the cockpit framing was in good shape so I marked the middle of the would be opening and cut down the middle and the good side, thus giving me a template for the deteriorated side. Once done, laid it on the boat and marked where it lines up on the braces.



Started working on the frames last night. Should be able to finish them up today. It will be a week or two before my decking lumber is ready. In the mean time I'll work on repairing the section of coaming I'm going to salvage, coating the interior with epoxy, painting the interior and polishing some brass.



Brad
Are you bending, or cutting the radius'?
 
#15 ·
Broken Paddle said:
NCSUDucker said:
Once all the braces were in I marked what was left of the shape of the cockpit opening onto a piece of 1/2" ply. One side of the cockpit framing was in good shape so I marked the middle of the would be opening and cut down the middle and the good side, thus giving me a template for the deteriorated side. Once done, laid it on the boat and marked where it lines up on the braces.



Started working on the frames last night. Should be able to finish them up today. It will be a week or two before my decking lumber is ready. In the mean time I'll work on repairing the section of coaming I'm going to salvage, coating the interior with epoxy, painting the interior and polishing some brass.



Brad
Are you bending, or cutting the radius'?
Cutting. The originals are cut as well.

Brad
 
#17 ·
Thanks cutdown!

Here's my stopping point for the day. May add the two boards on each side that were on the original that serve as support and reinforcement for where the oar lock blocks mount.



Brad
 
#18 ·
Once I started eyeing things over especially the flipped over deck there was much more crown than I originally believed. If you remember when I first got it, the deck was cracked, sagging and rotten in several places. As I examined things a little closer I figured out there was about a 5/8" crown at the cockpit back to the transom and it tapered from the front of the cockpit down an 1/8" at each brace to the bow where it ran out to nothing at the tip of the bow. So wanting to keep things as true to form as possible, I went back in an added a curved shim to mimic the original braces. It was a ton of tedious work with a lot of sanding. What's funny is, I'm not 100% sure you'll be able to tell it when the decking goes on, but at least any water will slope off the sides.

On aN unrelated note, In the past week I have figured out I can work on a boat, watch a ballgame, or kill time without a dip! Here's to one week of being tobacco free after dipping for almost 30 years! Haha! Anyway, I installed the blocks that act as support for the oar lock blocks that my step dad is cutting from cypress. The two boards between the braces towards the bow are going to be for a set of pad eyes. There will also be a set towards the back of the rear supports. Combined with a rope harness, they will be used to hoist it up to the ceiling in the garage. Will probably go pick up the needed lumber to finish her up next weekend.

Going to work on rehabbing the piece of coaming I'm going to salvage today.









Lastly, I picked up this bow handle off of ebay, not sure if I'm going to use it or not. Looks to be roughly from the same era and hand forged. Figure once I get it, I'll flatten out the "wings" and see how it looks.



Brad
 
#19 ·
So I'm going to salvage the bent piece of the coaming. It was partially covered in poly resin and some remaining glass, a ton of screw holes, a few cracks and a couple of soft spots but overall it was quite sound and worth saving. Not to mention I don't have a steam box set up. First task was to remove the remaining part of the backer that originally covered the butt joint between the curved piece and the two straight pieces down each side. They were held on by 5 copper rivets so I used an oscillating tool and cut between the two pieces and cut the rivets.







So after a lot of sanding and removing the soft spots, I filled all the voids and cracks with cabosil.







Almost time for paint on the interior. Let her soak in some epoxy last night, once it cures it will be time for a light sand and paint.





So as I've been working on her, I've been searching for something to use as a bow handle. I'm not a 100% sure she ever had one. And most likely, if it did it was an pad eye and ring. It has a bronze half round on the front of the bow that folds back over onto the deck for about 2". Anyway, I polished the old bronze half rounds enough to remove any paint and poly resin but leaving the patina.



Regardless, I've been scouring the net and waiting for "something" to speak to me as well as listening to the old girl as restoration progresses and I can better see her lines. These are the options I've come up with so far. I have a poll/post going on the Toller Facebook page but feel free to post up your favorite.


No. 1 - I found this one on eBay and bought it as soon as I saw it. It is likely from the same time period and probably hand forged. I'm leaning towards this one but the plate will either need to be flattened or some type of mounting block will need to be made. While it looks large, it is only about 6" wide at the widest point.


No. 2 - I really like this one even though it is fairly modern with styling from the 50's. However, I would have to by the set of 5 pieces and it would be rather pricey considering I would probably only use the bow handle.


No. 3 - I like this one as well. It's simple and readily available as a Sunfish sailboat bow handle. Inexpensive at under $30.


No. 4 - Should have bought these even if I didn't use them as they went for a song. Regardless, they come up semi-often and if past prices stand they are moderately priced.


No. 5 - I bought this one on a whim and will either use it or hang on to it for another project. Regardless, I like this one as well but again, it's a fairly modern piece.


No. 6 - Lastly, this one is pretty cool although it isn't really meant to be a handle. It would present some issues with the faux canvas deck finish but nothing I couldn't work around. Also a pretty pricey piece.

Keep in mind, all with the exception of No. 1 would be sand blasted, primed and painted to match the boat color, while No. 1 would be polished enough to remove the corrosion/scale but leave the patina.

Brad
 
#20 ·
I am either going to use 1 or have my stepdad, who is an excellent decoy carver who was diagnosed with Parkinson's about 5 years ago, carve one these.

The gentleman that carved this was kind enough to send the drawing pattern for a canvasback handle. My hopes are to have my stepdad carve it and to have a bronze done of it.

I see some light at the end of the tunnel!

After giving a light sand to the epoxy coated interior, I laid down a coat of Lock, Stock & Barrell's Flat Marine Enamel in MLB Gray. The color is off a little in the pictures, its greenish gray and it matches the color the float was first painted quite well.







Now I just need this weather to get out of here so I can make it up to the mountains to pick my lumber for the deck, coaming and rub rail.

Brad
 
#21 ·
Well finally got the cypress for the decking last weekend, however, lots going on with some honey-dos and our DU banquet. On a side note did win a Kimber Stainless .45 which was the DU pistol of the year!

Anyway, started putting the decking on this morning. Didn't take to long. Dry fit everything and cut it all strong. Came back in and glued it all up. Will come back with the router and a flush cut bit to take off the excess.





Came back in this evening and began the fairing. Not too much to do, mostly filling screw head recesses.



Going to sand and saturate the cypress with epoxy tomorrow. From there, I'm going to do a 1/4" round over to the edge of the decking. This will let me let the Dynel lay over the edges to create the faux canvas deck. Once the rub rail goes on, it will will seem as if it is holding the "canvas" on. After that I will cut the temporary cross braces from the cockpit and install the coaming. There will be a piece of quarter round that goes around the coaming where it meets the deck to appear like the canvas is being held down by it.

Can definitely see light at the end of the tunnel. Amazing how far she's come along from the state it was in. A member off of Duckboats.net was kind enough to offer me one of his custom built ash sculling oars for the cost of shipping. Its steam bent and very nice work and amazingly enough, the paint color is almost identical to that I am painting the boat in. I will most likely order a Shaw & Tenney as well, although, it may take a little bit for me to save up for it!

My step dad has been working on the canvasback sleeper handle and cut some new oar lock socket blocks out of some really nice white cedar. Everything is shaping up nicely. Should be moving over into my new shop within the next 3 weeks!

Brad
 
#22 ·
Going to finally get to cut the temporary cross braces from the cockpit today! Laid down the Dynel the other evening. Very easy to work with, drapes well and doesn't unravel at the edges. I was amazed how much it it looks like painted canvas once it was done. I'll install the coaming next. In order to make this look more like a canvas covered top, I rolled it over the edge and it will look tucked behind the soon to be installed rub rail. At the edge of coaming will be a piece of 1/4 round that will look as it is there to hold the canvas down as well.







Brad
 
#23 ·
She should see water within a month, give or take! Coaming installation when fairly smooth. Will take the clamps off this evening and install the original piece that went at the front of the cockpit and start working on the rub rails.









Brad
 
#26 ·
Put her on the trailer yesterday!


Finished up the motor mount, made a neoprene gasket for under the mount so it doesn't rub up the decking. Forgot about how far the transom stem protruded so the first hole in the center would not have allowed the nut to go on. Should be plenty sufficient to handle the 29 lb Suzuki 2.5 hp outboard.


https://scontent-atl1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/11350595_1108102905870045_1988618844216667231_n.jpg?oh=e12cc50d9d51924ed47942def6b41b90&oe=55FE5B68/img]

[img]https://scontent-atl1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/v/t1.0-9/22184_1108103185870017_11880125336828901_n.jpg?oh=f33a75e92f7f8012f84987dd74e0058a&oe=55FE8634

Floor boards are painted and in. Also the little front cross piece that was on the original boat is installed. Not sure of is purpose but it seems you could lay your gun barrel on it or walk the boat around in the water by it.




Going to back her in the water tomorrow am! I need to see how its going to float to figure how much weight is needed in the bow. I'm going devise a little lead sled that will push under the deck to the bow to pull it down when sculling or move back when under way.

Brad
 
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