[alberg30] bilge/keel

[Rick Leach]

From: Rick Leach <rleach at mbayaq.org>

Dan,

What you're looking at is the top of the iron ballast.  I found much the
same thing on #121.  When Whitby "glassed" over the ballast they only put
the glass tabbing along the edges, but covered the whole surface with resin.
Unfortunately, un-reinforced resin have very little strength and almost all
of it had broken away from the middle 4 to 6 inches leaving the iron
exposed.  I found this somewhat disturbing, considering the destructive
forces that can be developed by expanding rust.  In the two after-most
compartments I found platforms glassed-in below the cabin sole, but above
the keel top.  These served as the bottom of the battery compartments.
Taking the somewhat extreme approach, I cut these out to gain access to the
full length of the keel top.  Everything was very grungy.  After much effort
scrubbing with Simple Green and a bristle brush, I prepped the whole area
for epoxy and glass (too much fun for most sane people), by grinding down to
clean laminate and running a heater and fan through the spaces to get things
as dry an possible.  After glassing with System 3 epoxy and a couplke of
layers of 6 oz. cloth I painted the works with white Petit Easypoxy.  I
never bothered with replacing the battery platforms.  I moved them up and
outboard to below where the old upright icebox once lived.  I never like the
idea of batteries in the bilge.

I'll be the first to admit that not everyone would be prepared to take the
same approach, but I think it would be wise to try to take some action to
clean-up and seal the keel top.  It's true that there are no "war stories"
of peoples keels blowing out from ballast rusting, but then again I figure
that these boats are probably only a quarter of the way through their
service life!  

Rick Leach
Sugar Magnolia, #121

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	dan walker [SMTP:dsail at gte.net]
> Sent:	Monday, February 28, 2000 8:55 AM
> To:	alberg list
> Subject:	[alberg30] bilge/keel
> 
> From: "dan walker" <dsail at gte.net> 
> 
> 
> after all the recent discussion relating to battery placement i took a
> look at rascal. she has four access boards. from aft the first two have
> the pans for the batteries. the third is just open space. my question is i
> am not sure what i am seeing. 
> the area is not finished off. from port and starboard there is fiberglass
> that comes in a few inches as if it used to be connected but over the
> years has broken/warn away. then in the middle it appears to be solid
> something. it is brownish is the best i can say. like rust or years of
> grime. i guess after rambling, my question is on older models #145 is this
> what i should see, or has something gone awry that i need to look into. 
> my concern being is it possible that water can get into the space between
> the outer hull and the metal in the keel. thanks in advance
> dan
> rascal 145
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