water in boats!

[Toxophilite]

Okay
I'm new to wooden boats but not new to wood
I'm checking out a wooden boat that's been stored on the hard for a couple years, it's a small 18.5 ft 1930s racing keelboat (sailboat) that the owner just stopped using as he had bigger wooden boats to play with
To my dismay I saw it had about 6" of water in it
THe fellow that's selling it says he keeps water up to the floor boards and a block of salt in it to keep it wet...this seems very wrong to me, though I happily admit my wooden boat ignorance
What would you experts say?

[skipper68]

Wood boats need water to keep the boards swelled. You ever heard the phrase"swab the decks" To swell the wood. The salt block,others will have to address. I know the Navy soaked their oak wood in salt water(ocean). Maybe he took good care of it,in his stead. The guys here will tell you. We are fresh water,so thats as far as I go on this answer.Hoping your enchanted with her :)

[Toxophilite]

Thanks for your response!
I'm aware that wooden boats tighten up when in the water as it swells the planks when the wood absorbs water
I was just wondering about the merits of having water in the boat(with a block 'o salt) whilst storing it on the hard for an extended period...arrr swab the decks! arrr must have been tedious doing those huge decks with those little cotton swabs!!! arrrr Q-tip the decks!

[Soundman67]

they say fresh water will rot your boat. fishermen around here used to stuff the space between the frames with salt. as the bilge washed it away they just refill. salt water wont rot the wood apparently. I keep a bag of rock salt in the bilge as I am in pretty fresh water now. salt lasts for quite a while as my pumps dont run that often.

[skipper68]

OK,let me see...I'm a fresh water girl. I need a salt block in the bilge. Don't think I can convince the Captain of that one. BUT,If she is a salt water woodie,I agree. Our girl was in salt water in 1968. :) I can't imagine salt down there,with the pumps,and other workings.We arn't in the same world though.When you going to meet with the owner? Keep us posted on your endevor?I knew you would get an answer!

[skipper68]

Thanks for your response!
I'm aware that wooden boats tighten up when in the water as it swells the planks when the wood absorbs water
I was just wondering about the merits of having water in the boat(with a block 'o salt) whilst storing it on the hard for an extended period...arrr swab the decks! arrr must have been tedious doing those huge decks with those little cotton swabs!!! arrrr Q-tip the decks!Q tips luv it!!!LMAO! Really though. Take a shaker of salt. Open it,and see how much water it absorbs. Makes sense.
A scientist rescues sunken boats around the world,for museums. He found that green antifreeze is absorbed and the cellulose of wood holds 70% of water,in the wood of ship wrecks that are salvaged. THE ANTIFREEZE IS DISPLACED BY WATER IT ABSORBS.
Otherwise,they would disintegrate FAST.I know stuff!

[Larks]

It's always worth doing a search on this forum because so much of this has been discussed so often here before. In a nutshell fresh water will promote rot, salt water will not.

[impalatech]

I purchased my boat from a life long wooden boat builder. I always remember him saying that boats rot from the top down and that never worry about salt water cause it won't do any damage. His next project after mine was an old wooden fishing boat and he did exactly that, water with a salt block. He's got me sold on it :-)

[Tall Boy]

Salt water in the bilge is harmless. My concern would be how much water and whether the boat was blocked up enought to support it properly for the long term.

[Excalibur]

I purchased my boat from a life long wooden boat builder. I always remember him saying that boats rot from the top down and that never worry about salt water cause it won't do any damage. His next project after mine was an old wooden fishing boat and he did exactly that, water with a salt block. He's got me sold on it :-)

His blanket statement is kind of right, kind of wrong. Fresh water is bad because the area above the waterline will have just the right amount of moisture to promote rot. While salt prevents rot, it also forms crystals when it dries. So, while the area directly above the waterline won't rot, it may get shreaded when a dry spell (like next summer) comes along and the crystals form (angel hair). Check the area just above the waterline closely.

[Eddiebou]

Is it blocked up enough to support the weight of all that water? Hope it hasn't frozen in the past. This can really distort a hull.

[skipper68]

His blanket statement is kind of right, kind of wrong. Fresh water is bad because the area above the waterline will have just the right amount of moisture to promote rot. While salt prevents rot, it also forms crystals when it dries. So, while the area directly above the waterline won't rot, it may get shreaded when a dry spell (like next summer) comes along and the crystals form (angel hair). Check the area just above the waterline closely.
OK,so your saying,if the water is there,the salt should be there?
Our bilge pumps and other things under would be damaged with salty.Also,if our wood superstructure is NOT in salt,the rain will attack it? I always thought it was the fungus spores. Will the salt above the waterline,protect the superstructure? Will it stop fungus? Very intresting thread for wooden boats here. Please answer this? Thank you.

[wizbang 13]

While the boat is OUT OF THE WATER, best amount of water standing in the bilge,sweet or salt, is zero.

[Lew Barrett]

A lot of anecdotal info here, some of it in error. As usual, I'd be inclined to agree with Bruce (Wizbang). As for the rest, boats will easily rot in salt water. Ask the British Navy! They had plenty of experience with how long wooden boats last in sea service! Consider that any water vapor that results from water in the bilge will be fresh water. But I'd be inclined to be concerned (as are others) about the shape of the boat and that would be the first thing to check. If there's been no harm done there, then sll you have to do is make sure that nothing rotted from the "rot-less water" storage method.

This aspect (salt versus fresh) of the discussion is a longer and more elaborate conversation than I can post to this morning, but dry storing a boat with water in it pretty much defeats the purpose, ney?

One aspect of this story that has proven true over time is that intruding water (in the form of rain water) is a real menace to wooden boats.

[StevenBauer]

Sorry to say it but that guy is harming that boat more than he is helping it. A good cover that keeps the rain out but lets lots of air circulate under the cover is what that boat really needs. It wasn't designed to hold that much water inside the hull. And that salt is killing her fasteners. He is hastening her demise. Sad.

Steven

[Toxophilite]

Well I must admitt, it gave me the horrors when I first saw it, especially as it's obviously seeping throught the bottom planks in places (see :" 1937 Crosby fin keelboat update" post for photos)

[Toxophilite]

oh and don't think it's enough weight wise to damage the boat..I don't really know how much it's had in it though over the past year ot two