Runabout Reflections
The original "Old Woodies" were manufactured between about 1900 and about 1970. Many of these boats have been in service for decades, and the original materials eventually wear-out. Because these boats are not only beautiful but collector's items, it is worth the investment to their owners to have them restored back to mint condition.
The process of restoration can often improve on the original design, with the use of modern materials, without altering the original appearance of the boat (which is an essential consideration for the owner who wants to enter a boat in a judged show).
Runabout Reflections has perfected the re-construction of the bottom of runabouts, using a cold-molded design, making them impenetrable to water, and eliminating the need to flood the interior of the hull with water in order to swell the bottom planks together (which is usually necessary in boats without the new bottom design).
This new, cold-molded bottom is called a "West System" bottom, after the name-brand of the epoxy which is used in the installation. The installation of the new bottom mimics the original design in principle: in the original boats, two layers of planks were installed, with oil-soaked cloth sandwiched in between. Over time, however, the use of these materials did not prevent water from seeping into the hull. As many of these wooden runabouts have been in use for more than three decades, they tend to begin to leak.
The cold-molded "West System" bottom mimics this basic design, with two layers of bottom planks, running at angles to each other, and cloth sandwiched in between. The cloth is fiberglass cloth, and both layers of planks are painted top and bottom with epoxy resin -- each plank is glued to the underlying frame and to its neighboring planks, and the fiberglass cloth is epoxied down, then covered in epoxy as each of the top planks is screwed into place.
The use of these materials ensures a very long life for the bottom of the boat -- at least 50 years after the installation of the cold-molded bottom.
Here we see a "West System" bottom, partially completed. On the left, the under-planks can be seen to run at an angle. Fiberglass cloth covers the right side and has been affixed to the bottom planks with epoxy. Soon, a layer of fiberglass cloth will be epoxied down on the left side. Then, after the liberal appication of epoxy, planks will be run from bow to stern on both sides and screwed into place, and the bottom will be effectively water-tight.
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