[Public-List] Oily weeping at the keel just forward of the rudder shoe.

[via Public-List]

Hello Jeff,

I will be watching this thread closely as I have issues with a cracked keel but at the forefoot as you mentionned.  From what I have read and observed there is not much of a buildup of fiberglass under the keel along the joint of the two halves of the hull.  This year I added a thick layer of epoxy and filler to seal this joint as it was pretty threadbare all along the keel bottom, I saw little paint or gelcoat in that area overall.  I suspect that, in my case anyways, the encapsulated keel is waterlogged so freeze thaw cycles likely open up the joint.  It seems the ballast and the area below the bilge floor and around the ballast plug are filled with some type of material and covered with a fiberglass cap.  I did repair the fiberglass cap for the bilge floor which was cracked but likely water is still sealed in there but I have no weeping.  This material seems to retain water, so I am really interested in opinions on how to best dry an encapsulated hull.  

Do have a look at the bilge floor directly under the motor to see if it has hairline cracks.  My best access is from the battery compartment just ahead of the motor, I enlarged the little athwartship bulkhead leading to the bilge to install a  pump down there and I used a paintbrush screwed on a stick to slobber thickened epoxy in the area after a good cleaning and scrubbing and degreasing.  Looks like I achieved a good bond.  I also read in the list that someone actually broke through that fiberglass cap of a bilge floor and scraped up all the material and old wood and resealed the whole deal.  That would be best to really dry up things.

I recall seeing your cockpit floor repairs somewhere in the Internet that is a beautiful job!  We do love these old boats.  

good luck and cheers,

Maurice
Avoca 322


---- Original Message ----
From: Jeffrey via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
To: Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
Sent: Thu, Jun 15, 2017 8:25 am
Subject: [Public-List] Oily weeping at the keel just forward of the rudder shoe.

Hey everyone,

The past few springs I've noticed Seagrass (no. 116) develops a damp spot
every spring at the keel bottom about 10 inches forward of the rudder
shoe.  Usually, I look at it, do nothing, cover with bottom paint and the
boat goes in the water.  This spring, the spot is larger, wetter and more
oily looking.   My first though when getting to the boat was something
catastrophic happened over the cold Maine winter.  I expected a boat full
of motor oil.   Inside the bilge was clean, the engine dipstick read full
as did the gearbox.  Engine bottom normal.

Typically, my engine will drip oil a little here and there, just enough to
blacken any water in the bilge so I'm thinking that the spotting at the
keel bottom is bilge water that seeped out through the boat.   I am
wondering why it looks worse this spring.   Usually, when the boat comes
out, we flush the bilge with soapy water, then pump and shop-vac out any
remaining water.  Last fall, the boat sat for two weeks when it came out,
and the bilge was dry by the time I got to it...any standing water (pump
leaves that last 1/2 inch or so) had drained into the keel ballast area.
Maybe this was the difference.

I've searched the archives of this group, and find lots of references to
keels seeping more towards the bow under the water tank, but nothing at the
rear.

At this point, the boat yard can put the boat in the water, or I can fuss
with it.  I'm thinking now would be better then the fall when the boat
comes out again since everything will be saturated, plus the colder weather
makes epoxy work more difficult.

My plan is to dig in a bit, find the longitudinal seam that others have
mentioned and see if I can add a bit of fiberglass and epoxy, or even just
some GFlex epoxy & fair.

Anyone else have this issue, and successfully deal with it?

Thanks, and hope everyone is doing well.

Jeff



Seagrass. #116
Boothbay Harbor, Maine
http://sailboatseagrass.com/

<http://instagram.com/jfongemie>


-- 

______________

Jeffrey Fongemie

<http://instagram.com/jfongemie>
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