Wasn’t expecting to find this

Mama H Chicago

Mother of sailboats
Took advantage of a 75 degree sunny day today in Chicago, to sand down Red, my super Sailfish. She is going to be gifted this Christmas to a Dad, from his grown children. The plan has always been to paint her with fresh white paint. But then I saw how gorgeous the wood on her is, underneath a bunch of latex paint….

Anyone know if sailfish were made from mahogany? Oak? Something else?
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So now I’m thinking I need to scrap the idea of painting her and instead just restore all her wooden glory?
 

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The wood could be anything, but oak is unlikely. I like wood, but plywood is likely Western Hemlock, whose grain doesn't do anything for me. :(

You can sand-away, but nearing the end of your sanding, uncover a stain or repair that needs additional carpentry work to make it perfect. (Delaying delivery).

Those are the negatives. If you spend the same amount of time on the paint job, it can be made to turn out spectacular.
 
The wood could be anything, but oak is unlikely. I like wood, but plywood is likely Western Hemlock, whose grain doesn't do anything for me. :(

You can sand-away, but nearing the end of your sanding, uncover a stain or repair that needs additional carpentry work to make it perfect. (Delaying delivery).

Those are the negatives. If you spend the same amount of time on the paint job, it can be made to turn out spectacular.
Appreciate that reminder! I’m thinking of using a paint stripper to get a quick idea of if there any major problems. The family that will sail her really hopes it can be stained and varnished up. But a pretty boat that leaks or has other problems will not hold a candle to a tight boat with a spectacular paint job.
I may even do a hybrid finish - if there is a big flaw, it may paint a glossy red patch in the middle of beautiful mahogany
 
She's looking good. Most likely quality fir plywood deck and hull with oak planks. The fir ply shows a lot of grain, which doesn't bother us. A few boats did have mahogany ply but there's too much grain in that deck. That said...

We found damage on the bottom our our Sunfish so we repainted just the bottom and left the topsides bright, coated with West System 105 resin and 207 Special Clear Hardener. The 207 does not need varnish unless you plan to leave her out in extended exposure to UV, as 207 does not blush or turn amber.

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While the paint is off it is a good time to leak test the seams, trunk etc... and seal up any voids with thickened epoxy injected with a syringe.

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Thank you!!! I tried stripping a section of her deck today, and I could t get it to budge! Our beautiful 75 degree weather dropped to the 40’s, so hoping that by morning I’ll see some more of the actual plywood. Right now I’m planning to do some custom painting on her over any patched or other problematic areas. The new family that is buying her has some great ideas and I’m having so much fun doing this for them. Really appreciate hearing about what resin/hardener you used too.
 
See if you want to thank me after you're done sanding.

That good plywood is pretty robust but take your time and don't go too deep or you'll go through the top veneer, and that does not look good. You can expect to find a scarf line somewhere in the middle of the boat where two sheets of plywood were connected, so you might start in the middle and sand around until you find that to make sure there will not be a color difference in the 2 different sheets of ply. On ours it was right behind the daggerboard trunk.

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How good are you with cutting wood? I might suggest to add a rub rail, it helps protect the top seam and gives that little extra edge to grab onto after a capsize, also lifting the boat. Our "Sailfish 14 Deluxe" actually came with a rub rail and toe rail, very handy. Also a Dry Dek coaming and fancy bow handle. What type bow handle is on your boat?

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FMI: http://smallboatrestoration.blogspot.com/p/alcort-super-sailfish-zsa-zsa.html
 
See if you want to thank me after you're done sanding.

That good plywood is pretty robust but take your time and don't go too deep or you'll go through the top veneer, and that does not look good. You can expect to find a scarf line somewhere in the middle of the boat where two sheets of plywood were connected, so you might start in the middle and sand around until you find that to make sure there will not be a color difference in the 2 different sheets of ply. On ours it was right behind the daggerboard trunk.

View attachment 54210

How good are you with cutting wood? I might suggest to add a rub rail, it helps protect the top seam and gives that little extra edge to grab onto after a capsize, also lifting the boat. Our "Sailfish 14 Deluxe" actually came with a rub rail and toe rail, very handy. Also a Dry Dek coaming and fancy bow handle. What type bow handle is on your boat?

View attachment 54211

FMI: http://smallboatrestoration.blogspot.com/p/alcort-super-sailfish-zsa-zsa.html
Is it possible to veneer on top of the plywood? My two sheets don’t really match (as far as I can tell, and I know in a few spots, I did gouge through the top layer :-(. I’m also thinking about varnishing just the really pretty sides and bottom, them leaving a border on the deck where the pretty brass screws are all shiny as clear wood, but paint the center deck? That way I could fair the deck flat and my sins with a radial sander could be forever hidden…
The below pics are from today, when we unexpectedly had temperatures in the 50’s. The light areas on the deck are where I went ahead and sanded off the paint, plus a layer of brown paint, then a layer of stain.
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Yes it is possible to veneer over the decks. However getting a good bond will mean vacuum bagging.
I had the same issue on a larger boat which had been varnished but badly degraded by sunlight, though some was ok the majority was not and I painted it.
From the pictures it looks like the side panels are ok so varnish them and paint the rest. It will look great is you bring the paint over the edges onto the sides.
 
I'd be tempted to sandblast the screws on the sides. Brass or bronze--and varnished--they'd then sparkle whereas wood filler won't.

"Spot" sandblasters are inexpensive, and an air compressor can be borrowed--or purchased new--for about $50. Many other uses for an air compressor too. I use one to keep my cheap tires inflated on my many Harbor Freight devices and to refresh layers of my cloisonné "works", as I make them.
 
I'd be tempted to sandblast the screws on the sides. Brass or bronze--and varnished--they'd then sparkle whereas wood filler won't.

"Spot" sandblasters are inexpensive, and an air compressor can be borrowed--or purchased new--for about $50. Many other uses for an air compressor too. I use one to keep my cheap tires inflated on my many Harbor Freight devices and to refresh layers of my cloisonné "works", as I make them.
Thanks for the suggestion! I have an airbrush mini blaster that I bought online for etching glass. That and my harbor freight pancake compressor really will make them shine!
 
See if you want to thank me after you're done sanding.

Should I be concerned about removing the mast boot, handrails, and deck hardware? I’d like to take it all off for its shining up. I assumed that with a wood deck, there might not be backing blocks, but I don’t know…. Won’t be an issue if I end up having to replace part of the deck, but I’m seeing visions of myself trying to pry it open and having the whole boat spring apart
 
All,

One of the favorite tools I have in my tiny shop is a bench grinder. Actually it is an ancient GE 1250 rpm washing machine motor that I bought used 40 years ago for $5, then attached a 1/2" dia. arbor to it that takes either a 6" dia. grinding stone (to sharpen tools) or a soft wire brush used several times a week to clean up/burnish small metal parts. If my brass or bronze screw heads are going to show, I burnish the screw heads on this rig. They will eventually turn green over time, but slower if varnished over.

Alan Glos
 

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Thank you!!! I tried stripping a section of her deck today, and I could t get it to budge! Our beautiful 75 degree weather dropped to the 40’s, so hoping that by morning I’ll see some more of the actual plywood. Right now I’m planning to do some custom painting on her over any patched or other problematic areas. The new family that is buying her has some great ideas and I’m having so much fun doing this for them. Really appreciate hearing about what resin/hardener you used too.

Most over the counter paint strippers do not work well (or at all) in 40 degrees ambient temp. Somewhere between 70 and 80 is much better.

Alan Glos
Cazenovia, NY
 
Don't get a sandblaster near the wood. We sanded with 220 and that shined the screw heads a bit. Use an awl to pick out old putty/paint from screw slots.

We removed the deck hardware but not the handrails. There is solid wood under the hardware, and the plank thickness is 3/4 inch.
 
Thanks for the suggestion! I have an airbrush mini blaster that I bought online for etching glass. That and my harbor freight pancake compressor really will make them shine!
Your airbrush mini blaster sounds better than a "spot" sandblaster--although a "spot" sandblaster can be focused for small surfaces using the provided attachments. You could also make a postcard-sized "template" using a ¼-inch drill bit and a piece of aluminum.

When my Dad and I built a wooden 14-foot Yellow Jacket powerboat, we secured the mahogany deck with bronze "ringed" nails. Because the nails stood "proud" of the surface, each varnish recoating brought up the glow of bronze.
 

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