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I picked up this little 14' Sturdee skiff for next to nothing. It needs a new transom and sole and a few holes patched. I 've always wanted one of these boats. The plan is to restore it to like new condition with a few tweaks here and there to make it my own. Anyone else have one of these that they have customized to there liking?? I also had a question for you wood workers out there. I need to make new rub rails, the originals were white oak, is there a better species I could use and also what is my best option for bending the rails? The gunwales are strong enough to bend the wood against, the wood is actually the strengh for the sides of the boat. Thanks More pictures to follow
Here's a few pics of a 16 I had. I added storage under the rear seats and a solar powered fish finder among other things. After you replace the balsa cored floor, try to avoid any mounting holes that may cause future leaks into the new core. Notice that my fuel tanks were held in place with a hinged piece attached to the bottom of the seat to avoid any holes in the floor. They are great boats, well worth the effort to restore.
I meant to say the gunwales are NOT strong enough to bend against. So I'm guessing I will have to steam the rails or maybe laminate them out of thin stock. Here are a few more pics of my progress.
Drew did you have to replace your gunwale rales, that is what I'm having the most trouble with right now, boat looks great, I will be happy if it looks half as good as yours.
I didn't have to rebuild anything on mine (bought it new). The rails were two pieces with the hull sandwiched between. Could you position the left and right inner pieces in place and use some braces to keep them spread apart and against the hull? Then screw the outer pieces thru the hull and into the inner pieces. Once an inner and outer piece are screwed together the shape should hold.
New transom looks good...
Use foam and then glass and paint it, forget the wood. Unless you're going for that kind of look. It will bend and be strong.
__________________ "no matter how beautiful a woman is, someone, somewhere is sick of her sh*t"
41 Hatteras - Hatt'ras Bound Sportfishing
O.U.P.V. Captain
If you want a wood rail, you'll have to cut thin veneers of white oak. Cut them about 1/2" thick and 16ft long. Attach to the boat with a 2 part epoxy like West System and clamps. I have a big load of this white oak alreday cut into strips (1/2" x 2" x 16ft) leftover from a project if you are ever in MD.
Have you contacted the Manufacturer? they might be helpful. they offered to cut me some mahogany to replace a seat. Good luck, I've always loved my 16'. I too took out the foam and used the rear "seats" for storage.. Also opened up the forward space for anchor & rope.
If you want a wood rail, you'll have to cut thin veneers of white oak. Cut them about 1/2" thick and 16ft long. Attach to the boat with a 2 part epoxy like West System and clamps. I have a big load of this white oak alreday cut into strips (1/2" x 2" x 16ft) leftover from a project if you are ever in MD.
Do not use white oak and West System together- Not compatible- Read the Gougeon Brothers application guide if you have a problem believing me. I used white oak with West on a boat that I was building, and I was replacing the wood and the topcoat paint the next year.
Do not use white oak and West System together- Not compatible- Read the Gougeon Brothers application guide if you have a problem believing me. I used white oak with West on a boat that I was building, and I was replacing the wood and the topcoat paint the next year.
Didn't know that. I can understand why that this might be the case given the unique tanin properties of white oak. Although I have West-systemed white oak before w/o problem..... but why take a chance.
I had a 16' a long time ago. I actually drove to Tiverton to the factory and picked it up. I thought the boat sucked in steering. The flat bottom would bang in the bay on small wakes, and when you turned the tiller the edge of the bottom would cut into the water and hook you around sharply. Hard to describe, but scary. It was better when 3 people were in the boat. Added weight prevented the hooking.
I would either do mahogany or ash rub rails, not oak. Maybe even try laminated ipe.
For exercise, I bought a new 15' Whitehall row boat years ago, glass hull only. I did the gunwale exactly like the one on Drews boat with mahogany.... Cut it, clamped it up to fit, then removed and epoxied the joint, clamped it back up and used brass screws about every 6" and plugged over them. Used a belt sander to get it smooth and a orbital to finish it. Relatively easy and was perfect when done. Wish I had some good picts around.
I think you'll find the gunwale go into shape when you have the right length pieces for the sandwhich gunwale... My hull was really flimsey until the gunwale was attached.... and I mean really flimsey!
__________________ Mike
Livin the dream...
Last edited by Afishinado; 10-08-2009 at 10:15 AM.
I like the mahogany idea much better than white oak. The cost cannot be that much different than oak, and mahogany is much easier to work. It is also very fine grained and dimensionally stable, a great wood to use with west system. As a matter of fact, most all domestically available woods are good to use with West, with oak being one of the rare exceptions.
Afishinado I like the sound of how you made your rails, I'm not familiar with Drew's boat, are there any pictures of it on THT?
I forgot my camera this morning, but got alot done today, I removed the rest of the floor and the foam up in front, it was soaked. I got the new floor cut out and glued up. I will try to get it installed and glued in the boat tomorrow.
Afishinado I like the sound of how you made your rails, I'm not familiar with Drew's boat, are there any pictures of it on THT?
Yeah.... Except mine was made with the same size on each side of the sandwich, they were like 1-1/2"H and 3/4" or a little more thick.. Probably a 1 x 2 dimensional lumber size...
Very cool idea on the fuel tank holder thingys Drew...
Thanks for the pics, I guess I was familiar with his boat, he was the first one to reply to my post, oops. I really like the way the guwales look and if I do them out of mahogany i think it will look even better.
For what it is worth. I put new oak rails on my 26 year old 16' Amesbury a few years ago. I just started from the back clamping and screwing my way to the front. No steaming required (at least in the hot humid summer). Gets a little tight near the bow, but no splitting to this day. Got the material at the shop in Tiverton RI from the late Ernie Gavin a few years back.
Those rails on Drew's look like oak, not mahogany. The 1/4 panel at the back is mahogany, not the same grain as the side rails. I have oak rail on my 16, perfect condition 15 yrs later.
I stained the oak with red oak Minwax to more closely match the Mahogany seats.
Sturdee Skiff restore 
inwax to more closely match the Mahogany seats. 
