Rebuilding the Square Meter: swinger

Having the new framing installed, I though it would be a good time to hang the boat from the barn structure.  The trailer is to be replaced with a new double axle trailer custom designed to properly fit the hull.  Hanging the boat will allow us to remove the trailer for a few weeks and have unhindered access to work on the planking.
In preparation for this, we slung heavy line and chain over the barn's massive framing and are using cable come-alongs and wide nylon strapping to lift the hull.  The straps are positioned on the galvanized ribs to properly support the hull.
This boat must have been made in production runs large enough to justify the interior metal work.  There are 4 galvanized frames that the wooden frames are faired to.  This would have required a good deal of tooling work.  I would love to see a photo of the shop they were built in.

Here we are starting to lift the hull off it's trailer bunks.

The hull is lifting off the bunks now.  This strap is positioned on one of the internal galvanized ribs.

The keel ballast is about to be drilled out for new keel bolts.

Rebuilding the Square Meter: fitting in the new frames

Today we did the fine sanding to get the new oak frames to fit well into their spots.  By fine sanding I mean 36 grit on a angle grinder.  It takes off the wood quickly and provides a nice abraded surface for bonding.

Once the frames fit well, we roughed up the mating surface of the hull, mixed up epoxy and thickened it with colloidal silica.  At a later date we will add bronze fasteners through the planking.

The frames are bonded in and on the next visit, we will refit the keel timber.  Once we like the fit, we will use a ship auger to drill out the frames and timber for stainless steel through bolts.

Rebuilding the Square Meter: Hull framing

We are fitting in new oak frames to replace the rotted out bottom of this 1929 Swedish Skarrie.
Using some drawing paper sheets, we are making templates for each location.  Since the bottom of the hull is open, we are able to press in sheets of paper and trace in the hull curvature for each frame.
These lines are transferred to the 8 quarter oak and cut on the big band saw.
Any additional fitting is done with a angle grinder with a 36 grit disk.

We have finished three frames and today we are forming 4 additional ones.  The tails are slightly long.
These will be marked where they intersect with the keel timber and cut accordingly.  Once everything is fitted, long stainless through bolts will be installed the hold it together.

Marking the intersection with the rudder for a cut.

This barn is awesome.  It is framed in massive walnut!  It is wood peg post and beam construction.
Really well built.
We will use its framing to hoist the hull off it's trailer in the coming weeks.

This main beam is a full 12 inch square of walnut.
You can see the adz marks.
Here is the mast hanging off it.

Rebuilding the 1929 Square Meter, Kippis: We got the job!

The owner liked the bid well enough to give us the go ahead.  Brave Man!
There are some unknowns we will discover but he is a fearless sailor.

The first items on the to do list were to take measurements of everything that might be removed.
The biggest thing on this list is the keel timber.  It has rot but nothing is missing, so it will provide us a useful pattern.

After the measurements were recorded in a new log book, we began the process of chemically stripping the bilge planking and ribs.

The worrisome hole in the bottom of the boat.

Old boat in a barn

I've heard of great barn finds of cars, but here in Missouri you never see this:
A 1929 Square Meter class Skarry.  It is a beautiful mahogany racer from Sweden.
Here is the Wiki link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skerry_Cruiser

Check it...

Hiding out in Union, MO!

The owner called because he is interested in a restoration.
Sweet!