Ecuadorian Boat Restoration

Here in Ecuador when something gets old they don´t go out and buy a new one; they refurbish what they have. The fact is this practice is common everywhere you go after crossing the USA border heading south. In these areas the labor is cheap and the cost of something new is beyond the budgets of all but a few of the "locals," so fixing what you have is the most common practice. This concept is definitely followed in the fishing industry in Ecuador, and that means recycling the large fishing boats that are used here. These boats are about 50 - 60 ft. long and are completely made of wood grown in the area. Wish I could tell you what kind of wood but I can´t; all I can say is it´s a hard wood that is milled roughly, and it´s a challenge to find a straight board in the bunch.

As is the case with any wood boat, dry rot, worms and the constant motion of the sea takes its toll on these boats, so every few years they need to be yanked out of the water and repaired. Progress has made this task easier for them by using the "travel lifts" here at Puerto Lucia to lift the boat out of the water and move it to a staging area where the repairs can be made. We used the same device to lift Sidewinder out of the water and were moved to the same staging area to do the work needed on her. We have been able to see the compete process of repairs up close and personal, and though it´s been interesting to witness, it´s also very dirty and, at times (like when they are using a chain saw to shape all the boards) noisy as hell!

After lifting the boat out of the water and supporting it in the staging area, the task starts with the removal of all the damaged boards using hand tools and muscle. New boards are then shaped to fit into the open cavities and clamped and nailed into place. Since these replacement boards are about 2 inches thick, the nails are large as well, and a small sledge hammer is used to drive them home. After the new boards are installed, the gaps between the boards are filled with the fibers of coconuts husks that have been woven together to make a long loose rope. This task is performed with amazing proficiency using a series of chisels that spread the boards slightly, push the fiber rope into the joints and cut off the extra. The hammers they use look like a crochet mallet on steroids that weighs about 5 lbs. and has a handle about 1 ft. long. The guys using these tools all day long have arms that look like most people´s legs (not someone to arm wrestle)! After all the joints are filled with this fiber, they are then caulked with something that is mixed up in a 5 gallon bucket and then spread into the cracks using putty knives.

The last tasks are the painting of the complete hull that includes the vessel´s name and the replacement/repair of the prop shaft support and rudder assembly. All this is done in about 4 days! The workers get to the yard at 7:00 AM and leave about 6:30 in the evening, 7 days a week!  We have been able to see this whole process about 6 times now, and the thing that impresses me the most is their tools. A chain saw and a electric drill are the only power tools used. Everything else probably hasn´t changed design in 100 years, and some of the hammers look like they might be that old. The final product may look a bit rough to our standards, but considering what these boats go through day after day, the job is perfect and complete. Even though it has been uncomfortable for us to be exposed to day after day, as a guy who spent most his life shaping and joining wood, it has been a joy to see the work ethic and expertise these guys have displayed. That being said it will still be good to get out of here; we are tired of living on the hard and need to get back on the water. See ya,  David

Here are a few pictures of the Sabos and helpers working on Sidewinder. (Check out David's very distinguished beard.) I'm not sure where they wanted me to put them. - the Blogmistress