[Public-list] MY 1968 pre liner bilge

[Matthew Hay]

Bill,
When I had my engine out in my 1968 pre liner bilge i also had about a foot 
of silica type sand stuff in the bottom of the bilge in the V shaped 
section.  I did not have any sort of covering of fiberglass or any material 
over the sand.  I just had smelly oily sand.  Perhaps in an attempt to seal 
off the oily bilge smell or some other reason? someone poured a new floor 
over the sandy stuff??  In my 1968 boat the bilge under the engine and the 
small bilges under the cabin sole are not connected.  They are sealed of  
with a wooded wall between the engine bilge and the smaller bilges.  With a 
drain hole cut so any water in the forward bilge (or sand) is washed back 
into the maine engine bilge.
Why would you want to fill your bilge up with expanding foam?  In my 
experience expanding foam in an out doors type application when left on its 
own and not protected from water etc. turns dark orangeish brown and starts 
to deteriorate.  Perhaps you should just wait until you can take your engine 
out sometime and then just clean out your bilge.   I would rather clean sand 
out of a bilge then expanding foam.  Also think of your re-sale value and 
trying to explain to someone that you filled the bilge with expanding foam.  
The floor over the sand does not make any sense to me.  I do not believe the 
sand to be functional since I found tools and bolts way down at the bottom 
of the bilge under all the sand.  Meaning that it collected somehow over 
time.  Your bilge is basically just the entire inside of your keel which is 
very solid fiberglass.  Maybe the missing section of the false floor is not 
really an issue?
I hope this helps some,
Matthew #314 1968  "Renard"

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