Answers
to Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Tom, my boat is just about ready to go in the
water and I was told that some boaters fill their bilges with
water for a few days ,then drain it before they launch to reduce
the amount of water they take on when they put the boat in. Is
this a good idea?
From Dan
Sabo/Elyria, OH
- Answer:
There is
nothing wrong with this method of pre-soaking as long as
you don't put too much water in the bilge. An inch or two
is enough to start the keel area swelling. I used to put
a sprinkler in my old 24 footer and leave the drain plug
out. This way the water drained down the sides to the
keel and out the drain without filling the bilge up. When
you get to much water in the bilge on dry land, it puts
pressure the wrong way on the hull. I have heard of
people blowing their boat apart while trying to fill the
hull up completely with water to pre-swell it.
Q: This question is in response to your repsonse to
Joe Clerkin who asked about pouring epoxy in the laps to seal the
hull from leaking. I am currently refinishing my Lyman with West
System epoxy. I took it down to wood and am using the 407 low
density fairing compound and hand fairing with a body file for a
smooth finish. I've seen other Lymans that have used West System
and the finished product looks great. My question is: if epoxy is
bad for lapstrakes, why do so many Lyman owners use it and swear
by it? What are the pros and cons of W.S on lapstrake? What are
the short and long term effects of using epoxy? It is obviously
to late for me to change now but what other info can you tell me
as to maybe what I should be aware of or for what to keep my eyes
open for in the future. Thank you in advance for your help.
From
Karl/Vermilion, Ohio
- Answer:
There is
nothing wrong with using this method to fair out the hull
sides and stop the stress cracking of the plywood skin.
The problem arises with over application of epoxy like
total encapsulation and pouring the seams full.
Q: My 21ft Lyman with inboard Ford V8 rides with
a very annoying bow high attitude requiring me
to stand while motoring. what can I do short of
trim tabs? Have you seen this in similar models?
From
Jerry/Watertown, N.Y.
- Answer:
I have
seen this problem with some of the smaller inboards. I
would suggest a small set of trim tabs. I'm sure that
would solve the problem, and also help level the boat if
you are running with an uneven load. If you don't want to
run trim tabs, you could make sure any gear you have
stored under the rear seat was stored up front under the
fore deck. The more weight you have forward, the better,
in this situation.
Q: Why do I have trouble steering my inboard Lyman?
It does not seem to respond very well when I turn the wheel at
slow speed. I never had this trouble with my I/O.
From Joe
Duby/Watertown, NY
- Answer:
In answer
to this question, there is probably no problem to start
with. There is no comparison to operating an I/O and an
inboard. Learning to operate a Lyman inboard is one of
the toughest things about owning one, especially the
bigger single screw models. A standing joke among 26'
owners is that it takes an acre to turn the boat around.
With the I/O turning the prop and all, it will always
turn sharper than any inboard utilizing the prop wash and
rudder.
Q: Where can I get good quality plywood to restore
my Lyman? Every place I have looked, they either do not have it,
or it is of poor quality.
From Mike
Teeters/Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Answer:
This is a
good question, unfortunately I have a lousy answer. The
fact of the matter is that the quality of marine grade
plywood has dropped dramatically over the last ten
years.I used to put better grade douglas fir plywood on
house underhangs as a kid. Ever since Simpson quit making
marine fir plywood it has been tough to find a decent
replacement fir to use in the planking process. All of
the ribbon stripe mahogany panels are imported. The Asian
panels seem to be of the poorest quality, with paper thin
veneer on the face. The European panels are somewhat
better at twice the cost. Your best bet, I feel, is
Harbour Sales in Baltimore, MD. At this time they seem to
have the better product on the market.
Q: My 1955-15' Lyman is leaking and won't seem to
swell up. Should I pour epoxy into the lapstrakes like everyone
has told me?
From Joe
Clerkin/Buffalo,N.Y.
- Answer:
NO,NO,NO,NO-Don't
pour epoxy into the lapstrakes. That's one of the worst
things to do to a lapstrake boat. Lapstrake Lymans are
meant to flex with the wave action, that's what gives the
Lyman it's great ride. When you epoxy the lapstrakes you
make the hull a monolithic structure which is much more
unyielding than the original hull design. Re-clinching
the hull and tightening the screws will tighten the
planks up so the boat will swell tight again.
Q: I have a problem with some ribs in the bow under
the water line. The ribs appear to be spongy and rotting. How can
I fix this situation. Can ribs be spliced in?
From Ted Emrick
- Answer:
The area
you have described in your boat is a common area for the
ribs to go bad. Unfortunately it also the most difficult
area to replace ribs as the two main stringers are in the
way as you go back from the bunk area. I would suggest
that a professional replace them in this area. The
forward ribs are somewhat easier to repair with a ship
lap splice.
Q: What color stain should I use on my Lyman so that
it looks like the original?
From Anonymous
- Answer:
The most
common stain used on the Lyman boats was the "Lyman
Mahogany Filler Stain #4973" It is not as red as the
Cris-Craft stain but not as brown as Pettit's or
Interlux's brown mahogany stain. Some blond stain was
used in the later years for the inside of the hard tops
and some interiors. It was Lyman Stain #28
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Last modified: December 28, 1999- 802