SHEATHING OF WOODEN
VESSELS
KISHOR KUNAL
FISHERIES COLLEGE AND
RESEARCH INSTITUTE,
TUTUCORIN,
TANUVAS
SHEATHING OF FISHING
VESSELS
BY:
KISHOR KUNAL
BFT08011
FC & RI
TOPICS :
What ?
Why ?
Where ?
How ?
What is sheathing ?
• A lamination or plastic skin or any other
covering employed to protect the under cover
material from external environment.
• Process of putting sheath or covering.
Need or importance of sheathing :
Protection from decay
Prevention of leakage
Protection from marine borers & foulers
Prevention of corrosion
For structural strength
Cosmetic
..a sheath’s main purpose is to protect. A secondary function
of a sheath is cosmetic -
to improve appearance. Note that we do not assign a
structural function to the sheath:
it should not be expected to strengthen the boat appreciably.
What to sheath ?
should begin at a point above the load
waterline.
should completely cover the hull including
the keel, dead wood, stern post, the wooden
skeg & all other parts exposed, when the
vessel is at her deepest draft.
other parts which are prone to rot or
corrode.
Development
Older sheathing methods – use of 3 materials
• White stuff –train oil + rosin + brimstone
• Black stuff – tar + pitch
• Brown stuff – tar + pitch + brimstone
According to marine archeology
• 15th century – copper and lead sheathing by
Romans, Greeks, Spanish & Portuguese navies.
• 1514 – John Sebastian, lead sheathing, England
• 1670s – lead sheathing, extra planking, England
Development continued….
• 1708 – Charles Perry, copper sheathing
• Early 18th & 19th century – further development
in copper sheathing. Use of iron or zinc alloy
with copper.
• 20th century & today – aluminium and alloy
sheathing. Galvanic series sheathing. Glass
fibre or reinforced polyster sheathing.
Ferrocement sheathing. Composite sheathing
material
Types of sheathing…
1. Lead sheathing
2. Copper sheathing
3. Aluminium sheathing
• The galvanic series
4. Ferrocement sheathing
5. Fiberglass sheathing
6. Composite sheathing-e.g- woolen–nylon sheathing
Lead sheathing
Lead sheathing, whilst more effective than
wood in its stated purpose, reacted badly with
the iron bolts of the ships causing sometimes
severe damage.
Not in practice.
Copper sheathing
Cold rolled sheets of 18 to 26 gauges are used.
Copper sheathing nails (tacks) of 25 mm length
or less may be used according to thickness of
planking.
Tack should be 3mm less than plank thickness,
should be driven at about 25mm interval,
12mm in from edges with 3 no. of nails at
100mm interval.
Sheets should overlap by 25mm.
Merits of copper sheathing
No need of antifouling paint
When in contact with water, the copper
produces a poisonous film, composed mainly
of oxychloride, that deter the marine creatures.
Furthermore, as this film is slightly soluble it
gradually washes away, leaving no way in
which marine life could attach itself to the ship.
Good life-span. (6-8 years)
Demerits of copper sheathing
The copper bolts used to hold the plates to the
hull react with the iron bolts used in the
construction of the ship, rendering many of
them near useless.
High cost.
Average strength
High rate of corrosion in tropical waters.
Aluminium sheathing
Aluminium alloy sheets, Indian standard (I.S)
737 : 1955 no.5 is considered better due to low
cost.
Aluminium screws or tacks can be used for
fixing.
Copper, brass or other mettalic fastenings
should never be used.
Merits of aluminium sheathing
Cheaper (less than 50% that of copper).
Lightweight (about 1/3rd of copper).
Less rate of corrosion in tropical waters.
Demerits of aluminium sheathing
Lesser life-span or durability. (3-4 years)
Less strength.
Bronze, copper or brass fittings need to be
avoided to prevent galvanic action. Galvanised
iron, mild steel, cast iron or aluminium alloys
can be used rather.
Needs anti corrosive & antifouling painting.
The galvanic series
Galvanic action between metals can be set on
when they are immersed in seawater, as
seawater is a good conductor of electricity.
When either copper or aluminium sheathing of
hull is done, some under water fittings like the
keel shoe, rudder forks stem bands should be
fabricated suitably to avoid galvanic action.
When copper sheathing is done :
Use following for fabrication –
• Stem band - - brass or bronze
• Keel shoe - - bronze
• Rudder forks & fittings - - bronze
• Rudder shaft - - brass
• Seacocks - - bronze
• Strainers - - copper or brass
When doing aluminium sheathing
Use following as underwater fabrication
• Stem band – galvanised iron
• Keel shoe – mild steel painted/galvanised iron/cast
iron.
• Rudder fork and fitting – cast iron
• Rudder shaft – mild steel
• Seacocks – cast iron
• Stringers – aluminium alloy
• If brass and bronze fittings can be avoided like
propellers, stern tubes housing etc.,care should
be taken to see that bi-mettalic contacts are
avoided using rubber or wooden pads.
Avoidance of galvanic action
Use zinc (99.6% pure I.S.I.209 ) blocks.
Keep maximum distance.
Insulation or fabrication.
Proper painting.
Ferrocement sheathing
Done with iron and cement.
The structure of ferrocement is the metal
netting embedded in it.
Three layers of 1 in sq 22g welded mesh are
stapled, and then plastered with a very rich
mix of cement, pozzolan (fly ash) and basalt
sand.
Cement sheathing does not adhere to the
vessels planking, it incases it.
Merits of ferrocement sheathing
Very much durable in rough conditions.
If applied correctly it will flex without fracture.
If designed appropriately it can replace the
failing structural integrity of the vessel.
Needs very less maintenance.
Demerits of ferrocement sheathing
Makes the vessel quite heavy.
As the metal netting is embedded in cement, the are
hard to inspect.
Renovation is much difficult.
Quite costly.
Poor impact resistant.
Fiberglass sheathing
What is FRP ?
• The term FRP is generally accepted to mean
fiber reinforced plastic. The names fiberglass
reinforced polyester, resinglass, and glass
reinforced plastic (GRP) are also used.
Reinforcing fibers may be short and
discontinuous such as asbestos, chopped glass,
or flock; or they may be continuous filaments
as in woven cloth or spun (non-woven) fabrics.
Other types and modifications of fibers exist in
profusion, but woven fabrics are the
reinforcements of major utility for sheathing.
In its preferred form the wooden hull is covered with
a high strength fiberglass skin which completely
covers at least that portion of the hull wetted by, and
in contact with the water. The fiberglass skin not
only protects the hull against rot and marine
organisms, but also increases the life and strength of
the boat as well as dramatically reducing the cost of
maintenance. The fiberglass skin for added strength
is preferably secured to the hull by a combination of
mechanical fastenings, and an elastomeric adhesive
which chemically bonds the fiberglass skin to the
hull.
The fiberglass skin, after it is secured and bonded
by the use of adhesive to the hull is generally, and
preferably, saturated with resin, covered with a
chopped strand mat to provide added strength, a
fairing compound is applied to the outside
surface, or exterior of the skin, and the surface is
then sanded and painted to provide a smooth,
and even a glossy finish. This can be done without
any necessity of tipping the boat on its side to
complete the construction; which is a particularly
preferred advantage when laminating large boats.
Fiberglass is useful for the construction of FRP
boats since it is a moderately stiff fiber. In
primary structure, stiffness is much to be
desired. Also, of interest, is a property known
as “tensile elongation.” This is the amount the
fiber will stretch before it breaks. For fiberglass
this value is about 3 per cent or about l/32 of
an inch per foot of length.
Advantage of FRP sheathing
Reduction of maintenance
No caulking, no leaks.
No plank shrinkage when laid up
Rot proof and resistant to borers. FRP is non-
organic and will not rot. As a plastic it cannot
be eaten by marine borers.
Corrosion and electrolysis reduced. FRP is
inert. As a plastic it will not corrode.
Simpler construction
Reduction of skill levels required once a basic
training is received.
Demerits of FRP sheathing
Prone to fire and chemical hazards.
Few non degradable materials used make it hazard to
environment.
Needs skilled and qualified technicians for application
and repair.
Chemicals used posses health hazards.
Composite sheathing
Widely used where the external surface is
exposed to liquid water but inner surface is
exposed to moisture vapour.
It allows moisture vapour to pass but prevent
the passage of liquid water.
The composite sheathing material according to the
present invention comprises a core layer of
paperboard, a first layer of paperboard having a
first layer of a permeable resin on a surface thereof,
said first layer of paperboard being adhered to the
core layer of paperboard by means of a first
adhesive layer therebetween, and a second layer of
paperboard having a second layer of a permeable
resin on a surface thereof, said second layer of
paperboard being adhered to the core layer of
paperboard by means of a second adhesive layer
therebetween. The first and second adhesive layers
each comprises a controlled distribution of thicker
and thinner adhesive portions.
General procedure of sheathing
Complete caulking & seaming before start.
Mark the design waterline.
Denote top of sheathing line 15 to 25 cm above
the waterline.
Maintain moisture content from 8-12 %
Plane all the surfaces to be sheathed.
Fill all the holes made for nails, rivet heads etc
with seaming compounds. e.g.-white putty,
malabar dammar, lime powder, neem oil or
coal pitch.
It is very important to note that all the fastening
heads should be at least 6mm deep into the
wood so that there is ample clearance between
the sheet or metal.
The hull should be coated with one coat of coal-
tar or tar still or any other suitable bituminous
compound like bituminous paint applied.
A sheathing of underlay is placed between the
sheathing & the hull planking.
Apply another coat of coal tar or other
bituminous compound over the underlay.
Fix the sheath.
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