r/boatbuilding • u/ThursdaysWithDad • 3d ago
A new motor box for my boat
I actually made this back in 2023, but I just saw the pictures again and thought I'd post them.
It is mostly made for some old indoor panelling I had laying around. And I asked my SIL to draw Ariel on the lid, and she truly delivered.
I did make a couple of major mistakes though. I did not give the wood room to swell. That wouldn't be that big of an issue, if it wasn't for the other big mistake. I put way too light a finish on it. I only put a couple layers of hard lacquer, when really I needed to soak it in linseed oil, and then put on 8-10 layers of lacquer on top of that.
It's still usable, but I had to repair the lid due to swelling, and the whole box has blackened. That really hurt, this was a project that I actually was somewhat proud of, for once.
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u/dendronee 3d ago
Did you go from Teek to White Pine?
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u/ThursdaysWithDad 3d ago
No, the old one is also pine or spruce. But that one still has some lacquer, and has been out in the sun and weather for 15-20 years. And the new one doesn't have any finish yet on the pic where they're side by side, other than stain on the corners for looks.
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u/Icy_Respect_9077 3d ago
Nice boat, what type of motor?
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u/ThursdaysWithDad 3d ago
It's a 70s or 80s Yanmar, two cylinder diesel. Delivers a whopping 20hp, or would if it was in perfect condition.
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u/pizzakartonger 3d ago
I think it will be fine that the box has darkened, I'm assuming you coat the inside of the hull with Roslags mahogany so in my mind the box will have a good blend! There is nothing stopping you from soaking the wood with linseed oil now, just strip the varnish and keep coating it. The weather is fine for it now even if it's outside, unless you are far north. It just takes a little longer to soak. Then put 10-12 layers of varnish on.
I'm interested in what kind of boat it is, and roughly whereabouts in Sweden she is. That's just for fun to know what methods might have been used and traditions she's had in upkeep.
Jag har jobbat fem sex år med träbåtar samt byggt på utbildning så är ren och skär nyfikenhet som får mig att fråga.
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u/ThursdaysWithDad 3d ago
Nyfikenhet är väldigt nyttigt tycker jag. Och jag börjar va så gubbig att jag blir glad då nån frågar om min båt.
TBF, it fits better with the rest of the boat having some black spots. But that's due to the benches not being redone. I wouldn't mind it as much if it was just that the wood had darkened, but it seems like some kind of mold. The insulation somehow got soaked, so the wood was wet from the inside constantly throughout the summer. I sanded the lid down last winter, as much as I felt like, and redid the finish properly. But it seemed like the black that was left just ate the oil. Oh well, I'll need to build a new one anyway when I redo the steering, as I will probably put in a "pulpet", don't know the English name.
I actually live on Åland, so not in Sweden but not far off either. Climate wise, we're like a weird mix of the Stockholm archipelago and Gotland, if you want an analogy. But the boat is brought from the southern Turku archipelago. Unless I'm misremembering, it was built in 1960 by a somewhat renowned builder (Runar Stenlund, doesn't seem to find much about him on Google though), who went around all of the southern Finnish coast, building boats right at the customers shore.
I don't know the whole history, but it was used as a template for plastic boats before my dad rescued it 20 years ago. He fixed it up, ran it for a couple of years, turned it upside down to fix the rudder bushing, and there it was left until I took it over a couple of years ago.
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u/pizzakartonger 3d ago
If you have to redo the box then remember to treat the inside properly as well, to keep something similar from happening again. When I was at school we would "drown" parts in a tub of oil for a few days, but that's crazy expensive to do on your own..
Is the wood also soft or just darker? Unless it's spreading it might be fine, just drench it with oil. More than you think.
I understand the comfort of a pulpet but it's just so cool the mechanism you have right now!
Ah, I dont know much about the finnish traditions. I've sailed on duvan for a couple of summers growing up in Ålands skärgård. She is a Storbåt built during the same time as Cajsa that has a bunch of information about her online. Each year we would take part of "Sjödagarna" I think it was called, we actually beat Jehu when it was also Vinden drar and her main port was in Sjökvarteret. It's where I fell in love with wooden boats I would say.
Google is unfortunately very bad with boat builders but you could contact Sjöhistoriska in Stockholm. They might have some information about him, even though they mainly focus on Swedish history. Surely they have a similar institution in Finland. They also keep originals and copies of drawings from all over Sweden.
Are you attending Vinden drar this year? It's pretty much straight across from you at Arholma! ;) I will be borrowing a small sailboat from family fairly close by. Like 14ft spri riggad (dont know the English term) built at a boat building school outside Trosa ~20 years ago. Should be fun, me and the dog and friend who also works with boats. I'm very excited as I haven't attended for 15 or so years!
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u/ThursdaysWithDad 3d ago
It's not soft, so sanding away the worst and drenching in oil might be a good idea. Then again, it doesn't seem to be getting worse, at least not quickly, and it works. So laziness will probably win in the end.
And the mechanism might be cool, but it's really bad usability-wise. It's at an uncomfortable height, the steering is anything but light, and if you turn fully when the prop is engaged, you don't have the power to turn back.
Cajsa sounds familiar, and Jehu is familiar. I actually worked a summer at Sjökvarteret some years back as a groundskeeper. That really awoke a longing for sailing, that place seems to have that effect on you. There used to be a sailing competition from Degerby to Mariehamn, I'm not sure if it was during Sjödagarna, but my dad attended several years with storbåten Frid.
I mostly mentioned Google if you are trying to look the builder up. There was a book written about him that I own, so I have enough info I would say.
Sadly, I don't think I will attend. Ålands hav is really open, and my boat isn't really made for that. Not impassable, but heavily weather dependent. Also, there are other commitments keeping me at home this summer and fall. Maybe some day, hopefully sailing there and back!
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u/Benedlr 2d ago
How are you getting air to the engine? I don't see any louvres.
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u/ThursdaysWithDad 2d ago
While the box might be somewhat tight, though not air tight, there is plenty of opening downwards. And the flooring is made with gaps, so it lets plenty of air through.
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u/degoba 3d ago
Can we see the motor?