Water Line

PGplastic · Post by **PGplastic** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:39 pm

My Com-Pac 16's hull is cured of it's blister problem. Dried, filled, and faired. Barrier coat applied, even above the waterline where I faired with 410, per West System instructions. Will be using System Three primer with WR-LPU and VC Performance. However, I have lost my original waterline. Of course, I took "before photos." Upon viewing these photos, I noticed the stern squatting. Looks as if she's carrying a heavy load astern. I have removed some water in the rebuild process, figuring she's thoroughly dried out over the past two years. (Yes, I'm taking my sweet time.) So, upon taking her to the local boat ramp and marking the waterline, I noted how high in the water she sits, especially the stern. No one was in the cockpit when I marked the waterline. So, I came home and found a great link Tim wrote on establishing a waterline for Glissando. I agree with his opinion about the importance of a proper waterline.

However, I feel as though there may be a bit more deviation when the boat is loaded than when it's sitting empty compared to the larger vessels like the Triton. So, where do I place the waterline? Marked empty or marked loaded? Marked empty, she'll look like she's squatting when loaded. Marked loaded, she'll look like she's sitting high when she's empty. IMHO, the latter is the lesser of the two evils. I'd like to hear what others think.

Thanks in advance.

Paul

BTW, the original waterline was taped on.

Post by **Tim** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:51 pm

I hate it when boats sit too low in the water--it looks awful, promotes fouling, and ruins the paint at water level.

Therefore, I'd be a proponent of going with the higher level, within reason. Small, light boats will respond to weight increase and decrease much more drastically than larger ones, so choose a level that will look correct most of the time according to how you plan to have the boat loaded.

Hirilondë · Post by **Hirilondë** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:29 pm

Tim wrote:I hate it when boats sit too low in the water--it looks awful, promotes fouling, and ruins the paint at water level.....

Yeah, really. A little extra bottom paint showing isn't ugly at all, especially if the waterline is parallel to the water. A slimy boot top looks horrendous.

PGplastic · Post by **PGplastic** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:32 pm

Thanks Tim and Dave. I agree, it can look horrible. I will likely take her back down to the ramp and measure again with two adults in the cockpit.

Originally, the cove stripe on mid-80's Com-Pacs is a 4" wide brown stripe bordering the rubrail running from the stern edge to roughly a foot short of the bow with about a 45 degree angle ending. It's edged with gold tape. To my eye, it causes the topside to look even shorter than it already is. I'm thinking of either using their current gold foil tape which has a signiture "C" at the stren end or painting the cove strip to look similar to the tape without the "C." That is, thin. There is no molded cove stripe. I'd likely place it in the same 4" down from the rubrail location.

The other consideration is what type of bootstripe; single or double. I like the double stripe on the daysailor project. But, I feel I must consider the stubby nature of my boat. I've seen where larger vessels will have larger bootstripes further off the water. There must be an unspoken ratio of boat length to bootstripe thickness to distance off the water. The original was two tone tape with a total thickness of roughly an inch. I'm thinking two inches may look better.

I've been looking at photos of boats for the past few editions of the regular magazines as well as online to get some ideas, but most of the photos are of boats in motion. Any ideas and/or photos are welcome.

Thanks,

Paul

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:47 pm

I just read this somewhere.... but where? Argh.

It was the thickness that a boot stripe should (traditionally) be -- so-and-so many inches per foot of .... either boat length or waterline length.

Let me sleep on it and see if the source comes to me.

R.

Post by **Tim** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 6:53 am

Boottops aren't a science--they're more of an art. In the end, what looks good looks good. Avoid sticking to arbitrary "guidelines" and instead decide what looks good in your situation. Most arbitrary measurements, however well-intentioned and even based in reality, when applied without attention to the actual situation at hand tend to lead to bead overall decisions, in my experience. Use a guideline as a starting point only.

A 16' boat probably does not need, nor want, a particularly wide boottop. But I won't say whether 1" or 2" or what have you is right--I'm not there to see the boat and it would be arbitrary to put any sort of value on it from here.

But strike your new waterline and boottop according to the boat's static floating condition--not with people in the cockpit, as that would look very odd when the boat was just sitting. You can't get around smaller boats submerging when you stick people on board, and you shouldn't try to apply striping or waterlines according to that condition. Wherever the boat floats, add an appropriate amount above for extra bottom paint, then go with your boottop above that as appropriate.

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 9:51 am

Tim wrote:Boottops aren't a science--they're more of an art. In the end, what looks good looks good. Avoid sticking to arbitrary "guidelines"

Oh good, I can stop trying to remember where I saw that :D

I agree with you anyway, Tim; the guideline is probably just more of a starting point, or a "check," and even then probably for larger boats.

R.

PGplastic · Post by **PGplastic** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 12:07 pm

Thanks. I can appreciate the gray area between art and science. Certainly, what looks good on one boat may not be appropriate for another. I'll ponder this some more. I have some time yet. Still working on the primer this weekend. Family from out of town visits this week, but when the time is right I'll post photos of the final decision.

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 1:40 pm

If she's out of the water, how about experimenting with blue or black tape lines, then standing back (or photographing) for the big picture? Sometimes that just makes it so obvious what's "right" (or wrong).

I suppose one could also take photos and then use a paint program to do it. I kind of like full size mock-ups -- 'course I'm not that digitally proficient, either.

Hirilondë · Post by **Hirilondë** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:45 am

Water line treatment has evolved over the years like art. Not that anyone has to use the style of the era of their boat, many do. Most owners of original Hereshoffs, or even replicas won't use a boot top at all. Most boats of the 50s and 60s will use only a single medium width one. Today almost anything goes. Its your boat........