Pulled the diesel today...!!...How do I treat the bilges underneath?

[Redonebyme]

Using 3 come-a-longs and after building a 2x6 frame I have sucessfuly pulled my 27 hp diesel! Got it out through the companionway and lowered it down. Off to be rebuilt.

Now for the $2 dollar queston? All the wood is in good shape, probably because it been fairly well soaked with oil and diesel. It had been originally painted. Now most, but not all, of the paint is loose. Can I repaint, How will I ever get it to stick?? Open for all sugestions..?

[Mr. Know It All]

I seem to remember someone suggesting "Dawn" dishwashing soap. Hopefully someone more experienced than me will check in here if I bump this to the top.
Good Luck.
Peace---> Kevin in Ohio

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Goin through the same thing right now. Scott Rosen actually suggested Tri Sodium phosphate, and that makes sense, altho its not good for the environment. I'm going to try it this spring. I used laundry detergent, with a scrub brush and found that worked fairly well. Chris Craft painted all their bilges with grey paint originally, and I am painting again with Interlux Bilge paint, which is fast drying, and apparently quite resistant to oil and other contaminants. I know this will open up (yet again) the painted unpainted bilge question, but I am just restoring what was originally there, and I am in fresh water.

[Bayboat]

Tri-sodium Phosphate is a good suggestion. Use heavy rubber gloves and wear safety glasses. Scrape loosened paint. Drain through the garboard plug or pump into a container and dispose of like you would motor oil. Flush the bilge with fresh water. When dry, paint with red lead, then cover with Interlux Bilgekote Gray. Is there room under the engine for a metal pan to catch oil leaks?

[imported_Conrad]

We use a scraper and vacumn, and are able to get about 90% of it. I think the trick is to scrape as much up as possible, actually pretty easy, since once you add TSP or detergent all you'll be doing is floating it around. A good sharp scraper will bring up almost clean wood if you're aggressive enough, and the vacumn clean-up is a plus- no problems dumping the waste water or waiting for things to dry to see how you've done.

[ 01-06-2003, 03:39 AM: Message edited by: Conrad S. ]

[imported_Jimmy]

I'm going through exactly the same thing and I have't decided what to do yet. I don't think any amount of scrubbing will get all of the old oil and tar/pitch/asphalt out since it isn't possible to even get at all of it even with the engine out so i don't think I will be able to paint it. I think i will just get as much of the crud out as I can, re-pitch/tar/asphalt it and leave it. It seems to be working that way so far (75 years and counting).

[paul oman]

Hello:

Don't know about the cleaning but being in the epoxy business, I would use epoxy paint in the area around the engine room.

paul oman
progressive epoxy polymers
www.epoxyproducts.com/marine.html (http://www.epoxyproducts.com/marine.html)

[Redonebyme]

Thanks for the info.

I think i'll use TSP.
There is enough room for a pan under the engine. I've got some spare stainless sheet metal that I can bend into a pan that will fit between the engine supports.
How close to the engine can I get? Air circulation for cooling could be in issue and I still need to get the bilge pump in the same bay.

[TomRobb]

Why not soak up the oil w/ kitty litter, scrape off the crud and paint, then leave it be.
Why paint? The oil ought to preserve the wood, I'd think.