Lead ballast.... pics

[DragonFly]

Didn't get much response on my previous post for help. Trying again with some pictures.

The first picture is right after I pulled the lead out from under Dragon Fly. Just a little more to go and she'll be clear.
http://www.crablouie.com/dragonfly/gallery/ballast/123-2357_IMGb.jpg

This is a closer view of the bow end where lines can be seen. Since pulling the lead out the top crack has opened up to the point where I can insert a saw blade that is about an eighth inch thick all the way through for almost the entire length.

http://www.crablouie.com/dragonfly/gallery/ballast/123-2367_IMGb.jpg

After removing some of the epoxy I'm finding that the lead is not fair at all, looks like they poured it in a dirt mold. Also there is a white flaky dust coming out of parts of the crack, then there is a brown dust that comes out of the cracks. It looks like dirt. I drilled into a spot and I got no lead but lots of the stuff that looked like dirt. There's got to be some lead in there cause it was heavy as hell to pull out of there.

Not sure what to do here, thinking it would be best to repour the lead.

Has anyone had any experience with lead corrosion or other ideas about the ailments here. Sorry I don't have pictures after I removed some of the epoxy.

Thanks for any wayward word anyone would have.
I'm really perplexed with the question of whether or not to repour the lead. Could put it back up and use the good ole epoxy goo like the original builder did.

Thanks again, Louis

[Paul Scheuer]

You're sure it's lead, right ? See how that "dirt" reacts to a magnet. Might be iron, or a mixture. There's probably a whole set of chemical tests to determine what the stuff is.
Do you plan to recast ? keep us posted (as in pics).

[Concordia..41]

The white flaky dust probably is white lead that was used to bed the ballast to the keel. Can not guess what the dirt looking stuff is if the ballast is lead. They may have got some zinc mixed in with the lead when they poured it and the zinc has deteriorated. Also some people used wheel weights for the lead and did not bother to remove the steel from the weights. This caused the ballast to rust if the steel was too close to the surface. As far as the two cracks – maybe they poured it in sections and it is starting to separate. I would grind of the paint and epoxy off and find out what is under it. What does it look like in the area of the keel bolts?

Dave

[Rich VanValkenburg]

I've noticed the same white dust coming out of the lead-filled keelbolt cavities in the side of the ballast on Sonja. This started after I replaced keelbolts 20 years ago with 316 stainless(I was still on the duh side). I didn't use white lead to coat the inside of the cavities, I just melted lead and poured it in. I have no idea what the white dust is, and I'm also curious to know. When I paint over it, it just bleeds back through. Not runny, just white dust. The ballast is lead.

The boat is sailed in fresh water and I've never noticed any kind to corrosion on fasteners, etc. even before I hauled for the long-term for the rebuild.

Rich

[DragonFly]

Thanks for the replies!

I am quite certain it was poured at three different times. The line has since opened up more than what can be seen in the first picture.

Didn't think of trying a magnet to the 'dirt', will have to give that a go.

The white stuff and the so called 'dirt' are from the inner part of the lead. On the outside there is no such evidence, just a badly formed exterior. This stuff is lumpy, no fairing at all was done to the lead itself. At places it seems someone globbed on molten lead to 'fix' a patch here and there.

The area near the keel bolts seem to be okay but I suspect there has been quite a lot of fresh water running down the keel bolts from the bilge. Rain water sat inside for a long time, above the berths. I have to replace some of the deadwood and keel that have rot which is a direct result of this seepage.

I found some info on the web that states basically if an acid solution is in contact with lead it can corrode and the results are this white chalky, flaky stuff. Talk about acid rain! All that acid rain sitting inside the bilge slowly going down bolts.

I believe the best thing to do is to repour the ballast. This way I won't be sitting topsides in a blow wondering how she's holding up under me.

Thanks again, Louis

[Dave Hadfield]

Ancient Egyptian Roller technique! Cool!

Doesn't look too bad from the pictures, but if it's delaminated....

At least you can make a mold from the old one and the same stuff, plus extra perhaps, to re-pour.