56 year old dhow restoration

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15 January 2011 at 13:53 #29433
B B
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@bb42502
Last year, late in November I was approached to restore a model of a Tanzanian Dhow. It has a nice romanitc story behind it. Apparently this missionary used to travel Lake Tanganyica using a dhow and he met a lady on the boat. They met quite often and one day he proposed to her and they married. He bought the model shortly after the enagemant. Over the many years the model ended up some where in the back of a garage. The married couple are to celebrate their 60th anniversary soon and I now in the final stages of restoring this little boat.

After so many years it deserves restoration as it has now become a family heirloom and stood as a testament to the stregth of the marriage.

I will be creating an album at the end of January when the boat is complete so that the before and aftephotos can be seen.

Regards to all for this new year,

Bernhard
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15 January 2011 at 13:53 #3684
B B
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@bb42502
15 January 2011 at 16:10 #29436
B B
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@bb42502
Hey Guys I just uploaded a few pictures of the dhow in my album 56 year old dhow.

Edited By B B on 15/01/2011 16:11:05
15 January 2011 at 17:51 #29438
neil hp
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@neilhp
a lovely old boat…..a credit to the original builder that she has stood the ravages of time, and to you for the lovely condition she is in now.

may she always be loved and cared for.

neil.
15 January 2011 at 18:44 #29441
B B
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@bb42502
The boat is not yet complete. You have seen the boat just as I had cleaned her of all the dirt. Since then I have sanded her down inside and outside. The entire inside has been varnished already as well as many other small parts. Her white bottom has been resprayed. I am aiming to complete her by the end of January or within the first week of February.

I must add I myself, I am very happy with the results so far. The wood that was used in the build is African Teak and it was nice to see the colour and grain of the wood once it was sanded down and varnished. It also had a very aromatic smell when I worked on it.

Bernhard.

Ps: I think it is nice to preserve such old models so that they do not get lost forever.
16 January 2011 at 10:52 #29452
neil hp
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@neilhp
I think it is nice to preserve such old models so that they do not get lost forever.

you are so right Bernhard, and working in wood is something sadly I don’t do anywhere near enough these days.

As a retired woodwork teacher, there is just something so pleasing and self satisfying in creating a piece of “art” from a living material, and as you say the smells and aroma’s of different timbers are just wonderfull……unless of course you work in obeche…..then it smells like old Fleetwood fish boxes, lol
22 January 2011 at 14:32 #29559
B B
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@bb42502
Well the little Dhow has come along and looking at it now, it is almost as good as new. I eventually had to use low power sand blasting to remove the tacky layer on the interior of the boat. After that I sanded down the entire boat and at this stage she has almost all of her new colours on the hull. The entire inside has been varnished.This next week I will be finishing her and doing the last details.

A display case is being made and then she will be preserved in that ,hopefully for the rest of her days. In the mean time another person has contacted me about another tall ship which was damaged during transport. This I hope to see during the week to see if she is salvagable. I will be posting more pictures of the Dhow on Sunday evening.

Regards,

Bernhard.
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