Building for a “wet moored” boat

Builder's Forum
1

I’ve been asked if I can build  a Chester Yawl that would be kept in freshwater at a dock throughout the season.

Has anyone experience with this? I imagine beefing up the protective skin over the plywood hull is the way to go. Here is what occurs to me:

-extra coats of epoxy both inside and out (but how many?) On a lapstrake boat I don’t think adding any extra fibreglass would be practical.

- switching to a paint finish rather than varnish

-using one of the tougher paints (2 part of some kind?). I read that while Brightsides and similar one part marine paints are fine on boats that sit in the water for a few days at most, they can’t take longer immersion.

Anything else?

Thanks, Cameron 

 

2

   I'd think in terms of a coat of Interprotect 2000E, then antifouling paint.  If you don't want the blue stuff, there's Baltoplate, which can be wet sanded and burnished to a very smooth, bronze color finish. It's been the go to for traditional sailboat racers around here for a long time.  It requires wiping w/ a sponge to clear slime off, but that should be easy on a dinghy.

More to the point, you'll want a cover with battens to make a rain proof top that will stay put.  You don't want water accumulating in the boat.