Bilge Restoration

[rookiejack]

Screenshot 2023-06-03 at 1.37.42 PM.jpg
Hi, everyone. I am VERY new to all of this. Just bought my first boat, and it's a fixer.

I just pulled the floor up, and started inspecting the bilge. I hosed it down and checked for leaks underneath, and it is in fact leaking. It looks like some quick fiberglass work may have been done at some point to stop the leak.

After I get this all cleaned, carbide-scraped, and sanded, what's the best thing to coat the bilge? One part paint? some kind of epoxy? What if anything should I use to seal it all up? Or do these leaks HAVE to be fixed from the outside? There isn't a lot of room under her when she's on the trailer, but if that's what I have to do, I guess I can get to stripping and patching.

Thanks a lot!

Jack

[Peerie Maa]

Re: Bilge Restoration

Welcome to the forum.
We need more information if we are to help you. Where is the leak? Along the keel or elsewhere?
Photos of then leaking water would help.
Is the ply sound and hard, or spongy?

[rookiejack]

Re: Bilge Restoration

Thanks! The water is dripping from the forward keel, just below the circled area below. The wood is hard-spongy.
Screenshot 2023-06-03 at 2.33.48 PM 1.jpg

[Peerie Maa]

Re: Bilge Restoration

Spongy = rot. How spongy, over how big an area?

[slacktidemike]

Re: Bilge Restoration

I'd start by taking everything within that square box area (where the stem and keelson are joined) down to bare wood so I could get a good look at the ply. That area looks like it might have had fresh water pooled there. Maybe the boat was stored outside with the trailer tongue low enough to allow water to settle in that area. What kind of plywood is the bottom made from? What is all that black coating? Is it just oily grime or might it be some form of mildew or rot? Does it smell bad?

[rookiejack]

Re: Bilge Restoration

It's just barely spongy in pretty much all of that exposed area. So maybe it's fine and that's just how the ply feels.

It was stored by the previous owner in a storage unit between uses. That was in the desert, which is where I am now and where the boat will continue to be used.

I think the black coating is just years of dirt. That floor was really old that I pulled up. I don't think the bilge has seen the light of day for decades. The black stuff scraped right off, and even washed off with just hose pressure in some spots.

I don't know what kind of plywood this is. I'll have to give it a better look when I get it cleaned up, and take some better pictures. There is no smell.

When I hose this all off, water does collect forward. I'm assuming in the water, the aft will drop and water will pool back there? That's where the bilge pump is. And the drain holes, so maybe this is just a bad trailer for this boat.

I'm really hoping I don't have to replace any of this wood, and I can treat what is here and patch what needs patching.

[wizbang 13]

Re: Bilge Restoration

Is it wet down there now?
They tend to be less scary when dried.
Single layer of ply? (double planked?)

[rookiejack]

Re: Bilge Restoration

It’s only wet because I hosed it off. It dries super fast out here. How can I tell of it’s single layer or double planked? I don’t see any edges anywhere to get me a look into the makeup of the ply. Just surfaces. Thanks!

[slacktidemike]

Re: Bilge Restoration

Give it a really good cleaning and light sanding and try to get to somewhat clean wood and take a look at what that ply looks like. You want to paint the bilge anyway, so start here. You should be able to identify the ply by looking at a clean grain pattern. Good news is that its been in a dry climate. It's also good that all the black stuff easily hoses off. But, you said it's leaking which isn't good news. If there is rot, it might be farther into the ply than it seems. Rot can travel far and fast in plywood. I'd just start by wooding the bilge area around the leak. Once clean, I'd carefully go around with the pick and also tap on the area with a small hammer to sound out the ply. Make sure to check out the wood for the keelson and stem in that area too.

[hawkeye54]

Re: Bilge Restoration

Jack, where it is now stored, can you block the trailer wheels and block up the trailer tongue - to allow for water / dirt to drain aft ? That may help you clean out the boat - The visible boot prints seem to indicate a good bit of dust / dirt buildup in the bilges.


Rick

[slacktidemike]

Re: Bilge Restoration

Boot prints! I couldn't figure out what that pattern was from. It looked awfully strange to me, but you've cleared it up. Good catch.

Jack, where it is now stored, can you block the trailer wheels and block up the trailer tongue - to allow for water / dirt to drain aft ? That may help you clean out the boat - The visible boot prints seem to indicate a good bit of dust / dirt buildup in the bilges.


Rick

[wizbang 13]

Re: Bilge Restoration

by n by, if she gets rot repaired or turns out to be sound, I think the best thing to put on the inside is CPES only, not paint

[rookiejack]

Re: Bilge Restoration

Ok cool I was hoping I could use TotalBilge on this. I do know the outer layers of ply are lifting in several areas. Just barely. Not enough for the scraper to yank them off yet. I'll watch some YouTube videos about rot-hunting by sound, etc. Thanks for the tips. Is there any product (like formula 27 or something) that I can use to fill in any seams or leaks on this side before painting? I know that won't help me with wood rotting from the outside in, but I'm hoping it's a start.

[rookiejack]

Re: Bilge Restoration

Give it a really good cleaning and light sanding and try to get to somewhat clean wood and take a look at what that ply looks like. You want to paint the bilge anyway, so start here. You should be able to identify the ply by looking at a clean grain pattern. Good news is that its been in a dry climate. It's also good that all the black stuff easily hoses off. But, you said it's leaking which isn't good news. If there is rot, it might be farther into the ply than it seems. Rot can travel far and fast in plywood. I'd just start by wooding the bilge area around the leak. Once clean, I'd carefully go around with the pick and also tap on the area with a small hammer to sound out the ply. Make sure to check out the wood for the keelson and stem in that area too.

Ok cool I was hoping I could use TotalBilge on this. I do know the outer layers of ply are lifting in several areas. Just barely. Not enough for the scraper to yank them off yet. I'll watch some YouTube videos about rot-hunting by sound, etc. Thanks for the tips. Is there any product (like formula 27 or something) that I can use to fill in any seams or leaks on this side before painting? I know that won't help me with wood rotting from the outside in, but I'm hoping it's a start.

[rookiejack]

Re: Bilge Restoration

Jack, where it is now stored, can you block the trailer wheels and block up the trailer tongue - to allow for water / dirt to drain aft ? That may help you clean out the boat - The visible boot prints seem to indicate a good bit of dust / dirt buildup in the bilges.


Rick

Oh man good call. I can and will do that. Thanks!