Restoration Log,

Katarina

Page 2

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With this new view of her hull, it was clear she needed new frames.  As I began to remove the frames it also became clear that above the water line her frames were like new.  So we (Shipwright Richard Fewtrell and advice from Walt Ansel and Wade Smith of Mystic Seaport) decided to sister new lower frame sections into her instead of a full replacement due to budget and time considerations.  We removed the rotten section of the frame up good wood.  The removed section was replicated and replaced in the exact position. At the section where the new frame and the old frames met, we attached a sister frame of the same dimensions; this frame spanned four boards either side of the joint.  I chose to use Black Locust for the frames, garboards and floor timbers---an old timer in Maine told me "that God damn stuff rots ten years after a rock does."   With the help of Ray (wood guy and neighbor) and his Wood Miser we cut the black locust, sourced out locally (beautiful straight stuff), into frame and timber stock.  The frames were 2 1/4" X 2", and floor timber were 2 1/2" X 10".