Wooden Boat Fixing and Repairs Can Take a Lot of Time, Money and Effort, so Learn the Secrets of How to Avoid it Where Possible
Have you ever heard the old saying, Prevention is the best cure'
? Well this is of particular relevance when caring for and maintaining your wooden boat. A little work here and there can save a lot of time and hassle making costly repairs in the long run. It only takes a minute or two to check your boat before you use it each time, so make sure to do it, if not every time, at least regularly. It can be as simple as looking for any damaged areas that may need touching up.Taking care of any scratches in the paint, varnish or epoxy coating, particularly the deeper ones, will not only keep your boat looking good but will also help to stop water getting in and causing the wood to rot. Once this water does get in, it's also a lot more hassle to dry out as it becomes trapped under the surface and can spread over a far greater area.
It's not just the outside shell of the boat you should look over either. The deck can also be prone to a lot of damage from people walking on it and climbing in and out of the boat etc. Another common cause of damage here is created by anchors, oars, chains and other things in the boat scrapping across the surface and damaging the paint or varnish. The deck is also going to face the full force of the sun on hot days and the rain in bad weather, plus everything in between, so covering it when possible will help to protect it from the elements.
Light coloured covers are best for this, as in under the harsh rays of the sunlight they will reflect rather than absorb the heat and this will help to avoid over drying the wood which can cause it to crack. Canvas is also the best material as this is a breathable fabric, whilst also being waterproof.
This is a great way of protecting your boat, as it both protects your boat from the rain, whilst at the same time means that condensation will not form on the inside as a plastic cover may do. Letting this moisture escape is again essential to avoid rot developing. Another point in maintenance is also to check that covers themselves are in good condition, as a hole in it can just lead all water to one concentrated area, causing a greater amount of damage in one place.
As you can see, there are some fairly simple things that you can do to protect your boat which don't need to take a lot of time to implement, but can cost you a lot both in terms of time and money in the future if they are not done right. By following these steps you can spend time enjoying and less time fixing it.
For more information on boat fixing, or for similar boat planning and building topics, also please feel free to visit my website, you're always welcome aboard. Just click on the links below. If you enjoyed this article or found it useful, please take a moment to leave a comment and let me know. I would love to know your thoughts, so just drop me a line.
Wooden Boat Fixing and Repairs Can Take a Lot of Time, Money and Effort, so Learn the Secrets of How to Avoid it Where Possible
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