The Crab Needs A New Shell--Any Ideas?

[Ira]

The bendy birch plywood that I used for my roof…

The stuff I've been bragging about for a year because I had it shipped all the way from Massacusetts…

The stuff I spar-varnished the hell out of with the most expensive stuff on earth (Vitralite)…

Is delaminating from the heat of South Florida.

So we're looking for fix-it options, keeping in mind that it's gonne be ME doing the fixing. (Translation: We need idiot-proof here.)

My plan:

Remove tongue box, remove vent, and run 4, 5-inch wide strips of thin lumber material from left to right all the way from front to back, and varnishing.

I can't imagine being able to remove the old skin without causing a disaster, especially with my rope trim. Also, I can't imagine being able to properly cut correct openings for the vent and AC on a complete skin of aluminum and making it all fit right.

Especially doing this at the boatyard. By myself. And it's gonna be hot down here until December. And they don't have a bar there.

With the strips, I can do it little by little, and all I'll need with me is my jig saw, hammer and nails.

I know--added weight, but if turning The Crab into a semi-stripper is doable, what kind of material do you think I'll be able to find that will do the job?

Otherwise, I'll have to rename her The Crap.

[goldcoop]

Ira-

How 'bout skinning over what you already have with YES U CAN aluminum (see Joseph Ruckman's) OR Rubber roofing.

I'm just thinkin' if you stick to WOOD you are just going to add weight AND STILL have maintenence issues.


Cheers,

Coop

[Miriam C.]

Ira, the stuff War Pony used is very nice and works for him. It is a vinyl type material.

Strips would look nice too. You can get them real thin and it shouldn't add too much weight. Put them on with epoxy so it will help with the delam. issue.

Good luck. Look forward to the stories.

[Ira]

The alumnum won't work because that's aluminum color. Wouldn't match. And the rubber stuff, I would still be applying it to a base I don't trust.

Vinyl--one piece. I would never get it right, and I think it would show the delaminating material and not bind it down. It would bump into the vinyl.

Oy.

[Miriam C.]

Sorry! You could use a foam type material under the vinyl. Perhaps you need to post some pictures of the problem area. I know it is across town and you are at work. The crab is so nice I hate to see something change.

[caseydog]

My first thought was vinyl top material, but the bumps would definitely show through.

What ever you choose, I would suggest you find some way to get that TD out of the elements. I've seen what Florida sun and moist salty air can do to a car, so I can imagine what it will do to a wooden trailer.

If I worked that hard to make a custom wooden TD, it would be stored in a garage inside one of those bubbles they make for collector cars that regulates humidity. http://www.carcapsule.com/

I would think a boatyard would be the absolute worst place to store it.

[Ira]

I would think a boatyard would be the absolute worst place to store it.

I gotta work for your mag so I can afford a decent storage--but you're right. Once I fix it, I'll look for an alternate arrangement.

And Miriam, pictures will depress me too much.

[halfdome, Danny]

Ira, your screwed . If you strip on top of a bad base it will only be a matter of time and you'll have the same problem again. If your not willing to remove the delaminating plywood you'll need to completely cover it with something that is one piece and attached under your rope trim. Danny

[madjack]

Ira, is it stored outside at the boat yard, if so, your rope trim is probably holding moisture against the edges of your ply...a VERY bad situation.............
madjack

[Ira]

The edges are fine--and it's not like the whole thing is coming apart:

It developed blisters more or less in the center,a few inches here, a few inches here...it's splintering up, like acne, and there are enough of them not to be happy about it. But Danny, as a base for the new strips, it's still fine (I think.)

I'm sure it's the sun and not moisture--especially since it's always tarped and water simply doesn't get on it.

A good analogy would be it's like every day, it bakes like a pizza at 350 degrees under that tarp.

[halfdome, Danny]

The edges are fine--and it's not like the whole thing is coming apart:

It developed blisters more or less in the center,a few inches here, a few inches here...it's splintering up, like acne, and there are enough of them not to be happy about it. But Danny, as a base for the new strips, it's still fine (I think.)

I'm sure it's the sun and not moisture--especially since it's always tarped and water simply doesn't get on it.

A good analogy would be it's like every day, it bakes like a pizza at 350 degrees under that tarp.

Ira, that tarp should be standing a few inches away from your roof or it will trap moisture and create all sorts of nasty problems for you. Danny

[apratt]

My opinion is that the tarp probably cause more problems than it solve. The tarp traps moisture and create more heat. If you use tarp you defintly want good air flow between the tarp and the trailer.

[Ira]

Yeah, you both got good points there. But like I said, I varnished the hell out of it. Plus, you don't see any moisture stains, and it's not like water is coming in from the edges.

And the varnish I used is even rated to be used BELOW the waterline on boat transoms.

Will take photos this weekend if I can work up the courage.

WAH! I WANT MY MOMMY!

[Miriam C.]

Yeah, you both got good points there. But like I said, I varnished the hell out of it. Plus, you don't see any moisture stains, and it's not like water is coming in from the edges.

And the varnish I used is even rated to be used BELOW the waterline on boat transoms.

Will take photos this weekend if I can work up the courage.

WAH! I WANT MY MOMMY!

Below the waterline of boats is never 100 degrees. If the bendy ply has more moisture in it than others and the strands are shorter, the water inside the ply may get way hot and send steam up through the varnish causing blistering... If there is no separation of the boards itself you might be able to remove the varnish and then put a layer of epoxy. Heck even if there is you might still be able to do that as a base for some other treatment.

[caseydog]

I gotta work for your mag so I can afford a decent storage--

Good one. You gotta OWN our magazine, not work for one, if you want to be rich.