Renovating 1971 swan 40 internal wood?

I wonder if anyone knows what wood and veneers were used in the original Swan 40. There are some pictures of Hull 45 which seem similar to what has been revealed inside doors and drawers, but panted over in mine. The honey coloured wood is lovely and I want to reveal this. Also the internal decks?

Hi Keith,

Ohhh boy, are you tackling a job. Just did some on my 40. Are you planning on doing it yourself or having it done?
The light wood is Koto an African hardwood which is susceptable to water staining i.e. it goes black. This is probably why you have paint as it looks pretty rough once stained. Anyway I just reveneered parts of my interior myself. Not a job to be taken lightly. You first need to find the Koto veneer. I had problems with this but finally found some. Unfortunately two different thicknesses. Next you need to sand off the existing varnish and or paint. You probably have both. Then you need to cut and glue the veneer to the cleaned suface. Again not trivial it must be well clamped. Even after putting major effort into clamping I ended up having to use a cloths iron to ensure an even smooth end result. In the end it looks great. I will upload some pictures later to give you an idea.
I do have to say it is a VERY time consuming and picky job. Done profesionally it is, I have been told, quite expensive.
If you can't find Koto, I have a source for some but it is in Germany and so not easy to ship.

Good luck

Mike
Storm Svale

 Dear Mike,

I recall e-mailing you some years ago about buying a swan 40..and you were most encouraging. My wife doesn't know whether to thank you or hunt you down! You sailed yours back via Bermuda (was it?) and here you are having done the very job we discussed back then.

Well I have bought one and sailed her back to UK, via Antigua, and have her  brought her up via Ireland to the Clyde.

The school of furniture in Glasgow are going to do the interior for me as a supervised student project, and they do work to a very high standard. You did say you had a supply of the koto wood, but I guess that is ancient history now as you have completed yours, or am I wrong? Should I not see what is revealed first when they come to strip the paint (with me working with them) and sand down the existing paintwork?

I should love to see photos, and shall upload some of the present interior for your opinion: it may be the previous owner simply liked the idea of white painted interior: it was very popular in the 1990s in US and perhaps, like ripping out old fireplaces/ baths etc, in house renovation, now much to be regretted but fashionable at the time: see what an optimist I am!

Keith

Dear Mike

Also do you know what the dark wood is, and the wood used on the internal decking.

Any thoughts on how to go about and what to use to paint the decks.

My hull was awlgripped (dark blue), and is now tired looking: any thoughts?

Keith

Hi Keith,

To be honest I think my wife has the same feeling. She loves the boat when we are on it but grumbles a bit when I spend 'too' much time and money working on her.
Anyway yes I sailed our lady back from Bermuda and it is interesting we are still dealing with the same things.
Did you enjoy your trip across as much as I did?? Anyway, it took me a while to tackle the interior I have to admit!! I knew once I started it would be a picky and time consuming cosmetic job.

Your approach to getting the interior done is excellent!! I wish I had that option.
As far as more Koto. My source still has lots left. He sourced it for me and got way too much.
But as you suggest the best move would be to remove some of the paint and see what you have. Then make a decision.

Internal wood: Other than the koto, it is all teak. The floors are teak and koto believe.

Awlgrip. I have had my hull and deck done with Awlgrip and it holds up well. I am due for a respray of the hull but will probably do it in Antigua where I understand they do an excellent job for a reasonable price. Yes, we are crossing the pond again. Anyway I 'think' a respray is fairly straight forward as the prep is not as costly as the first application. I am sure others in the association will have a comment on this.

Anyway, I will load some photos when we get back from our vacation. Leaving tomorrow for three weeks of sailing in the Danish south seas.
Keep that optimism!!! and greetings to your wife!! Tell her that she and my wife should start a club!! (:-)
Fair winds

Mike

Slightly off subject but I want to warn you about Antigua: the yards change hands frequently, and very difficult to find anyone you can trust.

Antigua slipway is very expensive in my view. Do not attempt to have any electronics work done there (Cap in English harbour means well I think but his sidekick is rubbish, and he can work for many hours and achieve nothing much)

Do not hand over money till job ends and watch out for much larger bill than originally quoted. UV a big factor too if staying for anytime; protect your sails. Can get cheap varnish work done. The guy who does the awnings iis very good though and if you do not have one this should perhpas be your first purchase over there.

Probably teaching Granny to suck eggs!

Keith

keithnfreeman@gmail.com assuming you want further information on Antigua. E-mail me anytime.

Thanks for the advice!!! I may go back to the US for painting. I had the hull done in Baltimore for the massive sum of 4K US. They did a great job considering the mess she was in. I am still in contact wth that yard. I spent my vacations and spare time during 97 through 98 working on the boat there. Anyway, the gelcoat on our boats is very thick and with UV light and time it spider cracks. My hull and deck looked they had been attacked by a bunch of giant spiders. The hull cracks are starting to reappear 10 years after the original job. This will not be a simple re spray. The deck I had done in Germany in 2002. They did an excellent job, only cost two arms and one leg and was three months late. Lost most of the 2002 season. Anyway it still looks great. Where are you located? I am in the UK a fair bit on business.

Well US is the one place you can be sure your euro will go far, and I am sure the Baltimore yard would do a great job the other is the UK, my pound will stretch in the US but cannpt afford euros.

Interesting that the German job was three months late and costly (the latter I expected but would not expect delay)

I have the boat on the Clyde at the RNCYC. I have offer to paint hull at 2000 pounds. Deck is in greater need and he won't do it because winding down into retirement and it is a big job, prepping the deck especially.

I am based in Harrogate with she who must be obeyed, and hopeless for sailing of course. Clyde is great though, and means thinking about voyages to iceland, Norway as well as the western isles.

e-mail me direct on keithnfreeman@gmail.com if you like.

Keith

Dear all

To give you an idea of what a Koto interior looks like pls find enclosed  copy from a Swan 43 brochure.

Would appreciate if someone could send me a Swan 40 brochure, or also Palmer Johnson brochures as used when they marketed Swans under the brand PJ 43 etc in the US

Kind regards

Lars

Dear all

I have a Palmer Johnson brochure for my 040. Do you still want a copy?

Dear Peter,

I do!

Thanks in advance

Fair winds

matteo (38/067 Only You)

Hello Keith:

I bought some Koto wood veneer from http://www.oakwoodveneer.com/koto-veneer-ribbon-striped.html
to do some work on my Swan 43. It was not too difficult as it can be purchased with heat sensitive sizing that is activated by a hand iron (borrowed from the lady of the house). I did have to apply some wood stain to match the existing Koto wood onboard but it turned out OK. The project was a stand alone panel and not within an existing field of a bulkhead.

If you are looking to place this veneer directly along side or within an existing field of Koto then it may not match as well since the new veneer grain is very tight and more uniform than the Koto wood used at Nautor during their build.

Hope this helps.

Hiro Nakajima

Dear Pete
Pls send me brochure copy.
Lars