Oh My,

[Bill Griffin]

worse than I thought, but not as bad as it could be. A while back I posted some pictures of some long broken frames and some keel bolts that for some reason had current through them, delignifying some of the floors. Over the last month I've managed to get the boat inside a Stimson bow shed, and had at the cockpit sole which was kind of "spongy". I took a bunch of pictures, which I don't have time to post right now, I have to go to work for a few hours.
I found the sole to be fastened with iron, I think nails. The fasteners had rusted, and split the white oak beams (?) underneath. It seems the only thing holding it up was the preformed water tank underneath. That was the easy part.
Once the bronze fittings were carefully removed and set aside, and a couple quick cuts with the sawzall, the sole came out easily by hand. That's when I thought of "Oh Joy", out there on the west coast.
My question is, is there an advantage to painting the bilge, or leaving it bare wood like mine is now?
I gotta go to work now, I will be back this afternoon and post the pictures that go with this.

[thestink]

advantage is keeping away rot from any fersh water pooled int he bilge.
very hard to get anythign to stick in the bilge, lots of degreaser and scrub the hell out of it many times and you might get away with it.
Red lead is as good as anything, but ive had some ok results with things like antifoul primers ( International Primocon etc) which seem to stick better than a normal enamel primer

[EastCoastChris]

My bilge has been successfully painted with red garage floor paint which seems to have stuck OK and as far as I know not caused problems.

I guess any paint that keeps the water from the wood must help. Also I think it probably helps balance the panel if it's painted on both sides.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3539/3623019986_7437c72236.jpg

Chris

[johngsandusky]

My old yawl had unpainted bilges, they were fine after 40 years. My ketch has read lead, also fine after 40 years. Take your pick, but don't use anything that will come off in flakes and chips that clog limber holes and bilge pumps.

[Bill Griffin]

I'll try a couple pictures from photobucket. I was only half serious about painting the bilge. I've seen them both ways. Allegro is bare wood except under the engine<a href="http://s656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/BillGriff/?action=view&current=AllegroorOhJoyredux017.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/BillGriff/AllegroorOhJoyredux017.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>, where the gray paint has, mostly, peeled.

[Bill Griffin]

That doesn't look like it worked.

[TimH]

soak the bilge in cuprinol or woodlfe once a year.

[adampet]

http://s656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/BillGriff/?action=view&current=AllegroorOhJoyredux017.jpg

http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/BillGriff/AllegroorOhJoyredux017.jpg

[Bill Griffin]

Thanks , Adampet. I haven't used photobucket at all previous. It's giving me fits, I tried to resize the pics, and now that it's been a couple days I'm not sure what I did to link that photo. The Oh My refers mainly to what I found under that water tank!
Bill

[Bill Griffin]

http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/BillGriff/AllegroorOhJoyredux023.jpg

Water tank removed, I found this small and waterlogged deck over the shaft log.
It came out with a tug, and over the side to a growing pile of rotten wood.

[Bill Griffin]

http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/BillGriff/AllegroOHMY002.jpg
I just couldn't bear to photo the mess that was underneath. It looked like a mass of old paper towel, or something. This is after an hour or so of scraping and vacuming. So far, so good, the only really rotted wood is what has been removed. The horn timber, shaft log, hull planking and frames all seem solid.
There are some broken frames, however. The plan is to laminate new frames, after things are cleaned up some.
http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/BillGriff/AllegroOHMY004.jpg
A lot of this gray paint was clogging the bilge, which is why I was asking about bilge paint earlier.

[Bill Griffin]

That last image is where the fuel tank has been living, on a plywood shelf.http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/BillGriff/AllegroOHMY001.jpg
Here's the tank, after removal. Once out, I found a spot of poultice corrsion on the bottom where it sat on the plywood. Thankfully, it didn't leak while on the mooring, and pump out in the marina!

[Bill Griffin]

So, I think I got the picture thing figured out finally. Thanks to all who helped, seriously. It looks like I am going to have to remove the muffler, and possibly pull the engine, to get at whatever is under them. I know if I don't, I'll be uneasy about it for ever.

[CharlieCobra]

That's why I'm doing what I'm doing on Oh Joy. I just gotta know what's there or not... I'm considering using that Sanitred stuff in the bilges after I clean and sand everything in there. Actually, I'm thinking of doing the entire inside of the hull with it. She's sheathed outside and by the time I get ready to coat her, she'll have been dry for about 18 months. Not much chance of trapping water in the wood. Then again....

[johnw]

http://s656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/BillGriff/?action=view&current=AllegroorOhJoyredux017.jpg

http://i656.photobucket.com/albums/uu289/BillGriff/AllegroorOhJoyredux017.jpg
I this a picture of the Anitchrist, or just the antipope?

As above (TimH), so below (yer bilge). Soak it with Woodlife or Cuprinol.

[Bill Griffin]

I haven't had a chance to do much of anything to Allegro. Today I did have an hour or so to do some more examining. I see at least ten frames on the stbd and nine on port that will be needing attention. Also, before that can happen, the engine must come out, the galley/icebox, and the settees including the ceiling, at least partially. Oh, and I noticed that the starboard quarter looks like it needs refastening. Oh My indeed. Sorry no pics today, I forgot to bring my camera. I'll try to get back in the next couple and take some more pictures. I still have a lot of cleaning up to do, before work can commence. I also want to get a proper stair for access, and some more work on the bowshed.
I do have a couple of questions though: In regards to the shed, I notice that it's plenty warm. No power right now, but would it be advisable to vent it with a fan?
I was thinking of laminating the frame repairs, but with so many, maybe I should be thinking replacing the whole frame? The broken ones are cracked where they are bolted to the floors. Would it make sense to try laminating in white oak repairs that are glued up with resorcinol? I keep finding more that needs to be done (no surprise) but would rather take a year or two to fix it right.

[BBSebens]

In regards to your shed, ventilation is always a good thing. surely you will be working with some nasty chemicals over the course of the project, and ventilation will be important. If you manage, try for a fan with louvers so that you don't lose heat out the hole. that being said, i'm not familiar with the construction of your bow shed. maybe a moot point.

Ventilation = good.

and good luck with your project.

[Bill Griffin]

BBS, After checking yesterday, vent it is. In the next few weeks I will run power to the shed, with some outlets so that a box fan can be set up if needed.
It was pretty humid.

At the risk of being accused of beating dead horses, a couple questions for the forum, and yes I probably know the answer, but would like affirmation from those more knowledgable:

On further investigation, the frames are broken at the heel, and also at the turn, where there are stringers that run from stem to stern, giving me a noticable chine where none should be. The deck (so far) seems solid. Better to remove a plank and feed the frame in from the bottom, or open the deck anyway and come in from above?

Steam solid frames, or laminate? Just wondering, thinking I could put up a bending table in the basement this winter where it's warm.

I'm babysittin' the grandpup today, but if there is light enough I will stop and get some pics on the way home.

Anyway, it's looking like a longer project that first anticipated.

[EastCoastChris]

I'm a novice myself so take this with a pinch of salt. But my understanding is that a lamainated frame is probably easier to make, potentially stronger (without the internal stress of the bend) and more stable.

Unless you already have bent frames and want to maintain authenticity, I'd be tempted to go with laminated and avoid the risks of scalding etc.

Chris