Wooden boat repairs can cover any number of topics, from sealing and painting to tightening fasteners, cleaning off mold and even wood replacement. Of all the different types of wooden boat repairs made, few are as important and critical as transom repair. The transom will occasionally become loose or rotted, requiring repair or replacement. Next to re-skinning the vessel or replacing the keel, this can be one of the most difficult wooden boat repairs for the novice to accomplish. The vast majority of wooden boat repairs can be completed with a minimum of skill and equipment.
Since wood is an organic material, it is important to keep its surface clean and free of fungus, mold and other contaminants. These organic contaminates can eat into the surface of a wooden vessel, rendering the wood useless and even dangerous. Washing the boat with a quality cleaner for wooden boats will kill most growth from the surface. Once dried, the wooden boat repairs can be accomplished, such as tightening any loose fasteners and screws and applying a waterproof sealer to the surface of the boat. It is critical that the sealer be of the proper type for freshwater or saltwater use in order to provide the proper protection to the wood.
On laminated wooden boats, or boats constructed of tiny wood strips like the siding of a house, it sometimes becomes necessary to replace the caulking between the board strips. These types of wooden boat repairs can take a very long time to complete properly. The original caulk must first be removed and the boards prepared to receive the new caulk. This is the time that soft or rotten wood is often discovered, necessitating further and more intense wooden boat repairs. Many times the keel, or the long center board that runs the length of the craft, will become damaged from hitting rocks or simply rotten from time and will require replacement.
Keel repairs, as well as transom repairs, are often better left to a professional. Especially with an outboard motor-powered wooden craft, the keel takes the brunt of all force used to propel the boat forward. If these wooden boat repairs are not done properly, the safety of those on board the vessel may be in jeopardy. When replacing any broken or missing hardware such as screws and bolts on a wooden boat, it is important that only stainless steel or marine grade hardware be used. This will prevent rust and premature failure of the wooden boat repairs.
