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I am going to be looking at a 65' Thompson Offshore (apparently its a 65' and from WI, according to the owner) that is for sale. In reading my Thompson brochure material I see that in that year a Phenolic Laminate was used over the strakes. Does anyone know if this was applied after the strakes were attached to the ribs? I assume paint was applied on top of this laminate? So if I want to pull strakes off, are the screws accessible once the paint has been striped off, or does this laminate cover up the screw holes?

Can I use a chemical stripper to get the paint of, or will that damage the laminate and then I will have a real mess on my hands. I think this would be a good wey to go so as not to oversand and sand into the laminate.

From a previous post I see that there was caution advised to not sand through this layer. IF done, is there a way to 'cover' over the damaged laminate area with some kind of fairing compound?

Am I asking for a restoration nightmare working with these laminated strakes? Needless to say, there are probably other restoration nightmares to be had, but thats the fun of it in trying to figure how to overcome them.

I plan a full restore, flip, re-fasten the strakes, and I imagine replacement of transome, keelson, keel and a bunch of ribs (and I have not even seen the boat yet!!!)

Regards
Peter

The paper overlay was applied to the big sheets of plywood at the manufacturer's mill. Thompson then cut it apart to make the strake stock.

Thompson countersunk the screws thru the paper and into the wood. The holes will filled (white lead - most likely) and then paint applied. So, the screws are readily accessible under the paint and putty.

Whatever you utilize to remove the paint, be very careful. The chemicals will probably not hurt the paper if the residue is removed ASAP.

I had a 1965 Peshtigo Sea Lancer that I restored. The previous owner took his belt sander to the hull and dug gouges all over the place. He also sanded thru the paper in some places and not others. It was a mess. I used Smith's Fill-It as fairing compound for all the divots and low spots. Workded well. I have no clue how it has held up because I sold the boat.

Look for the hull ID (stamped into wood of transom) and serial number (on metal tag) and OBC tag ratings to determine the model year. Dimensions are then needed to determine the model.

Andreas

Thanks Andreas

Would I have an issue in repairing a strake? For example, say I had to put in a patch of say a foot or two of new strake and the new plywood material does not have the overlay. Do you suppose I would see the difference between the 'papered' strake and the patch and the grain would come through from the patch? Or would you fair it out with material like you mentioned from Smith's or something else?

Even worse, if I had to replace say the 3rd entire strake down from the top. would it be obvious once its painted, with the grain of the plywood showing through as compared to the papered face?

Other questions is, I have read someplace, perhaps on Danenberg's site, that water can get behind the paper and rot the plywood underneath. Did you run into this with your restore job?

Regards
Peter

You just need to fair the unfaced plywood more carefully. And maybe prime paint it with a few more coats vs. the paper overlay plywood. Shouldn't be obvious upon completion.

I have not run into rot under the paper. But I have only worked on one boat with this paper overlay on the plywood. I supose it can happen.

Andreas