14' Arkansas Traveler Mod -- Do Over

[Piomarine]

So when last we spoke, I had just finished the mods on my 1956 Arkansas Traveler 14" Utility "Norma Jean." For those of you who may need a refresher, this boat was purchased new by my wife's great grandfather, and named after his daughter, my wife's grandmother, who gave me the boat.





It has been 4 years since I completed this mod and all I can say is...I screwed up...HARD!!!

Here are some of my more egregious mistakes:
Builders grade materials
Being more concerned with getting it done than doing it right
Not sealing the wood
Improperly preparing the surface for paint
Using the wrong paint
And finally, not utilizing proper storage

this time last year, the boat had deteriorated into a stinking, molding heap. Everything had to go! So here I am today bowing at your mercy and saying "Please forgive my ignorance and carelessness!" #-o

But...that means I have a blank canvas from which to start again! My plan this time around...well...actually, I don't think I am going to reveal the plan just yet. I will be posting pictures and descriptions of my work as I progress. Some of you will recognize what I am doing and I hope you will offer your encouragement. I will be asking advice along the way and doing my darndest to avoid the mistakes and pitfalls I made before. Stay tuned folks!

 

[Piomarine]

First question, I have stripped the old paint off the hull (it came off with a pressure washer) Now most of the original primer seems to have bonded relatively well but about 40% of it did come off. Before I repaint the outside of the hull, will I need to strip the old primer or just scuff and repaint? Also, on the transom the old primer is getting this odd spiderwebbing. I've never seen that before, but I am assuming I will need to wire-wheel the primer off and start over back there. Input welcome!

 

[CedarRiverScooter]

I would go over the primer with a DA sander & 80 grit. Like you said, there shoudn't be a 3rd time doing this.

 

[Piomarine]

I don’t have a DA sander but I do have an electric random random orbital and everything from 60-220 grit. And are you suggesting the sander to scuff or strip and start over? I’m good either way just wanting to know what your thought was on that.

I would also love to get some ideas on re-priming once it’s ready. I used Rust-Oleum Self Etching Primer before and the paint just simply didn’t bond. I have been looking at Kem Bond primer at Sherwin Williams which is an oil based industrial primer specifically for metal, but suggestions are welcomed.

 

[Piomarine]

So I was trying to be coy with my original post saying I’m not revealing the plan yet, but I’ve been doing some more reading on others posts, and the one thing I keep seeing is “tell us your plan, members will jump in to help.” So hear goes with the plan:

My hull is a 14’ Utility by Arkansas Traveler, but I don’t want a utility anymore. I originally built it as a fishing rig, but never used it and really I just wanted a runabout. So that’s what I’m making. I am enclosing the hull with a top deck and front and rear cockpit soles. It will be a 2 layer deck with 1/4” ply over framing and cedar strip planks over that. I chose cedar because it is lightweight, easy to work with, cheap, and quite lovely when finished.

Arkansas Traveler made a utility and a runabout both 14’ and the hulls were basically identical with some slight differences. So I will be building those differences. Put backs on the benches, upgraded transom, etc. I have an 1956 Evinrude Lark 30hp to power it (yet to see if the powerhead is still good, it’s locked up). The hull is quite stable. I’m a big boy and 6’ tall and with 2 big dudes standing in it it never felt unstable so I am not worried about the extra weight from the deck/ windshield.

I know wood on aluminum is not a common mod but I want to try it. The way I see it, there is a 100% chance it will work or it won’t. As always, input welcome, in fact, I will require your input to make this successful.

Game on!

 

[Piomarine]

Took some aircraft stripper and a power washer to the hull. Got half of it stripped down before I ran out. It did not get everything off though so next step will be to strip the remaining half and hit it with a copper wire wheel. Whatever remains after that I am going to say is well bonded to the hull and I will simply prep and paint over it!

I am also starting to look at paints. I am tentatively looking at Kem 4000 primer followed by Sherwin Williams “Protective and Marine Coating” as a top coat. I talked to a guy tonight who swears by epoxy enamel paints for ease of application, longevity, and shear durability. Anyone have thoughts on these paint options? Or know how much they cost? I can’t find a price online.

 

[86tuning]

stainless wire wheel perhaps, not copper.
alumibrite or similar one-step washing solution may help as well.
keep sharing your progress!

Cheers, Brian

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

I like the 4.5" stainless steel wheel from Harbor Freight on my grinder second to that brass.
Copper and Aluminum don't react well together. Copper is what is in pressure treated wood that's why you don't use it.

 

[Piomarine]

I hadn't thought about the reaction of copper and aluminum. I was only thinking about metal density and trying not to cut too deep into the metal. Stainless it is. Looking at what I have left (primer not the seam sealer I put down) would you use a open brush wheel or a knotted cup? I know the knotted cup wheels tend to be a little courser. Thoughts?

 

[Piomarine]

Finally got the other half stripped today. Either tomorrow or later this week I will be taking a wire wheel to it and maybe a random orbital to knock down some of the uneven textures and get it cleaned up for priming.

My questions for the forum are?: when I clean the surface for priming, what order should I go with? Degreased and then a vinegar wash or the other way around? Especially since I just used 2 cans of aircraft stripper. The aircraft stripper was definitely powerful enough to corrode the raw aluminum after the primer came off. What should I use to neutralize the powdery corrosion? Or is that what the vinegar wash is for?

 

[Piomarine]

I thought I would also post some pictures of what I am working with in terms of my trailer and motor. I have no information on the trailer other than it is not the 60 year old monstrosity the boat originally came with. I picked it up for $20...came with a boat on it too...then I put that 1965 Elgin Runabout on the old trailer and gave it away for the low price of getting it out of my driveway. This trailer will need a full axel off overhaul, new paint and primer, new wiring, new bunks and carpet, new winch, and most likely, new rollers. The vertical guides and rollers are going away as well, which means I need to find somewhere else to put the lights (suggestions welcome).








Here is the motor I picked up specifically for this project. It is a 1956 Evinrude Lark 30HP, I bought it because the engine year matches the model year of the boat. I am certain there are better candidates out there for this project but this is the motor I have and I will not be allowed to buy another one lol. Unfortunately it is locked up so it will require a full rebuild and best and a new powerhead at worst, plus, it will be a learning curve for me! I have no experience in dealing with electric start motors, and this has a little more to it than my '57 sportwin 10HP. I am hoping to visually restore the motor as well, but let's get it running first! I will be posting about it in the motors page soon.






Finally, I was doing a little playing around and this is a down and dirty rendering of what I am looking at for my final product.

 

[jethro]

I'm just here to say that you have a big resto project ahead of you, but your rendering looks awesome! That will be a beautiful boat.

 

[Piomarine]

I knew what I was getting into when I started this project...it's half the reason I took it on! The only problem, is I have yet to find someone else on ANY forum who has done a similar mod so I will be making up everything as I go along...which is exciting, if not a little frustrating...I am hoping to piecemeal the experiences from the community at large to find solutions to problems as they arise.

 

[Piomarine]

OK so it turns out I am not crazy after all...I stumbled upon this picture (courtesy of small boats magazine) completely by accident of a guy who did almost EXACTLY what I am trying to do. His was a 12' aluminum MirroCraft but low and behold, he fully enclosed the deck with a 3/16" plywood substrate planked over with cedar, ash comings, and a mahogany rub rail. At least now I know it CAN BE and has been done!

 

[Shaugh]

Wow that is interesting. I will be watching with interest. Have you thought about how to get some crowning in the bow cover ?

 

[Piomarine]

Thanks Shaugh! I have gone back and forth about putting a crown on it but I think I will probably end up adding one after all. When I frame out the deck stringers I am going to cut a slight curve into it and just cold bend the substrate over it, but if you have another idea I am more than open to it.

 

[Shaugh]

that's kind of a tricky process.... every stringer would be a slightly different curve.... I've never done it before, but I think you could probaby do the stringers retroactively by first attaching a thin sheet of ply to create a guide pattern first.... I'll send you some sketches of what I mean when I get back to work on Monday.

 

[Piomarine]

Hey I’m making this up as I go along lol so any help or suggestions are both welcomed and appreciated! I have built model boats so I am familiar with the idea of lofting frames and stringers, I assume this is the same concept but on a much grander scale.

 

[Shaugh]

If you've done something like it then you probably already know more than me. At one time I was thinking about doing it in aluminum to repair a damaged boat and I remembered when I had it all taken apart. When I laid the actual top sheet on the boat flat it overhung the edges like this:



nothing overhanging until it was well down the side then only about 1.5" extra by the back edge.

It seems that would be the easiest method... just make that slightly flared pattern and attach it first.. then make stringers to fit... wouldn't that be easier than trying to estimate the various rates of curvature on stringers first ?

Anyway that was what I thought about when I considered how you'd to do it. That would give you the most natural curve rather than forcing the skin over what you estimated to be the correct curve...

 

[Piomarine]

The idea seems sound enough. Before I waste any material I am going to consult with some wooden boat builders on another forum. Since this is definitely a hybrid project I am trying to get input from both sides but I am going to include your picture as “will this work?” If you look up pictures of the Glen-L “Zip” that plan is almost a spitting image of my layout. Same length, nearly the same transom height, and just 9” wider at the beam so it’s really close to mine.