Full Steam Ahead

Construction of a Danenberg steam generator has been in the works.  We purchased Sandhog elements, iron fittings and pipe but decided on some minor modifications.  We built a frame using a small mover’s dolly and one, eight-foot long 2x6.

To support the 2” pipe, pipe hanger clamps were used.  Instead of using a calming chamber and glass sight tube, we are using a bucket with a toilet tank float, much cheaper than a sight glass and needle valve.  This will keep water at the proper level in the tube covering the heating element.

A gang box is used to keep pressure off the electrical connections of the heating element.  A 240-volt circuit was setup in the garage and a 12’ electrical cord connected to the box.  Filled with water and switched on for a test fire, we are making steam in about 2 minutes with lots of gurgling noises and occasional spits of water out the top tube.

The final piece will be a short piece of automotive heater hose.

Frame Inspection

We purchased an 8’-3”x3” aluminum I-beam and a 12’-3”x1/4” aluminum flat bar to use as a temporary keel.  The I-beam establishes the flat planing surface from the transom forward.  On the 16’ Resorter, the flat planning surface is about 5’ long measured from the transom.

The flat bar establishes the curve of the keel forward of the flat planing surface.  The bar is under the I-beam and attaches to the gripe forward.

With the aluminum pieces clamped in place, any gaps at the keel landings are noted on the frames.  When cutting the new frames, this additional distance will be added to the landings during the patterning process to bring the keel landings into alignment.

The even-numbered, intermediate frames are then removed for patterning.  Where the frame lands on the bilge stringer, the factory sometimes needed to adjust the frame alignment using shims.  The thickness of any shim is noted on the frame as well and this distance is added to the pattern.

There are 3 shims of varying thickness in the boat from the factory.

Straightening Up

Twisting of the hull from rough water torques the frame joints, leveraging the screws at the topside/bottom frame "knee" joint, causing them to loosen.  And as the bottom planks swell, they expand and push the chines outward from the frame landings, taking the topside frames with them.  Notice the 4 screws of this frame station are loose, the bottom one backing out quite a bit.

The seasonal swell/shrink cycles of the bottom planks works the frames and brass screws at the knee joint back and forth, elongating the screw hole in the frame or breaking the screw.   The chines are attached to the topside frames with a ¼”-20 carriage bolt and a screw at main frames.  The chines are attached only with a screw at the intermediate frames.  Bottom swelling, pushing on the chines, will pull the screw from the wood at the intermediate frames, or break the screw, creating a gap.

When the boat was built, these intermediate frame joints were tight against the chine.  The restoration process must bring the chine and frame back into alignment.  Over time, this spreading of the bottom planks causes leaking, structural weaknesses and failure of components.  After getting the boat leveled and blocked, it is time to pull the topside frames back into position for bracing.  Using pipe clamps at the topside frame, the clamp is hooked to the bilge stringer and tightened until the intermediate frame is tight against the chine.

With the joints tight, 1”x4” pine braces are screwed to the topside frames  below the knee to hold the frames in position.  With the all joints tight, we reconfirmed the chines were still level.  With everything set, the keel and chines were removed in preparation for frame inspection and replacement.