gunwale rebuild

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lkjhG1948TB

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I bought a very old aluminum row boat last fall. It is 13 ft 7-5/8" long. The only tag on the boat is ""Aluminum Sea Nymph" "Manufactured by Aero Welding and Mfg, Syracuse, IN". Reading some TinBoats posts I was surprised about how critical the choice of aluminum boat repair materials are. Please suggest the plywood grades, wood glues options, recommended paint or varnish types, and hardware specifications for replacing the gunwales.
 

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Unless restoring it to be truly vintage, I’d use a modern Azek or some other composite decking material. For fasteners, if you can’t make use of aluminum rivets (like if you need long bolts) then use SS bolts properly insulated from the tin.
 
There was a thread a while back where a guy used composite material like Dale mentions. He ripped it to the width he wanted. Then he cut a kerf into one edge using a table saw. That acted like a slot to fit over the edge of the hull. Glue and fasteners and bingo, new gunnel.

I'll try to find the post(s) and circle back, but it was pretty far back if memory serves.
 
Huh, it was easier to find than that old thread than I thought. Read down through the link and you will see the project using the composite decking/kerf method. In my post above I was wrong about use of glue in the kerf. However, if I were doing this I think I might use some glue or caulking.

https://forum.tinboats.net/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=43401&p=439147&hilit=kerf#p437674
 
Number one rule is Never use pressure treated wood!
Exterior grade plywood ABX, ACX, BCX, CDX is made with waterproof glues and will work good if properly sealed. I like what know as The old timers formula to seal wood. White oak is good for replacement gunnels. For glue Tite bond III is waterproof and works well.
 
Also watch use of silicones, as some of the curing agents are corrosive to aluminum. In fact when using any goop or sealant, the tin should be properly prepared and primed.
 

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