A Boat in the Woods · video

What this video covers

Joshua, a carpenter restoring a 1966 32-foot wooden sailboat in eastern Canada, is reinforcing the hull by installing hemlock outwales.0:36 To bend the 12-foot strapping, he constructed a steam box using a repurposed carpentry box and a custom steam generator built from a cleaned brake cleaner can.4:08 Initial attempts to reach 100 degrees Celsius failed due to heat loss, with temperatures stalling between 80 and 90 degrees.10:30 He improved thermal efficiency by insulating the box with thrift-store blankets and adding a foil heat shield.6:40 To locate the outwales without interfering with internal stringer through-bolts, he pushed zip ties through the planking as visual markers.12:05 After removing a seized through-hull fitting with a grinder, he successfully steamed and installed the first two hemlock boards.16:41 He is currently downsizing the steam box to improve heat retention and capacity for future framing work.20:54

More from A Boat in the Woods

Hurricane Ties, Bracing, Turning the Truck into Scaffolding - No. 46Aug 2026Framing the Roof of My Boat Shed with My Improvised Crane Truck - No. 45Aug 2026I Built My Boatshed's Roof on the Ground… Now How Do I Lift It? - No. 44Aug 2026Huge Progress on the Boat Shed - No. 43Aug 2026

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