Steel Boat restoration

[bert]

Before 3 coats of epoxy primer, the inside of the new steel has also been primed and so it's ready to weld up tomorrow

 

[Trevorleach]

Looks neat

 

[Bullet2012]

Looks like she had settled in the mud, never a good thing.

 

[bert]

I don't think she has ever settled in the mud. I think it's just wet metal sludge.

 

[Brad93]

That epoxy primer is gonna play havoc with your welding mate

 

[bert]

I'll be sanding the edges back before welding brad, just wanted to get as much protection inside as I can.

 

[tom2207]

may pay to have some one fire watch the inside as your welding the outside .

 

[daedalusminos]

How do you check it's water tight?

 

[bert]

Put it back in the water and see if it lets the water in

 

[tom2207]

How do you check it's water tight?

fill it with water and see if any leaks out.

 

[jerrytug]

A couple of possible ideas looking to the future: Small 12v, or manual diaphragm type, bilge pumps in the keels because they won't stay dry inside, due to condensation, stern gland drips and so on.
Forced ventilation of the bilges/bilge keels with 12v blowers.
Very good work you are doing in my opinion.

 

[jerrytug]

fill it with water and see if any leaks out.

And if it doesn't, he'll have to drill more holes to drain the water again
Seriously, it would be worth welding in a threaded bush with a drain plug for the future. Since you are down there with your tools anyway. In addition to pumps and forced ventilation in the keels. When a potential buyer commisions a survey, the surveyor will comment very favourably on such seamanlike precautions.

 

[tom2207]

And if it doesn't, he'll have to drill more holes to drain the water again
Seriously, it would be worth welding in a threaded bush with a drain plug for the future. Since you are down there with your tools anyway. In addition to pumps and forced ventilation in the keels. When a potential buyer commisions a survey, the surveyor will comment very favourably on such seamanlike precautions.

if you can get the water in , theres a hole big enough to suck it out again ,,, lol

then leave a bit of bradford hose in place to hand pump it out once in a while , from inside the boat , Im not a fan of drilling holes below the waterline , again depends if you have access to the top of the bilge keels from inside or not , but Id rather drill a hole and put a brass bung on the inside and bail it once in a while. Hard to know without looking from the inside of the boat really.

 

[daedalusminos]

You'd need to exceed the pressure equivalent to when the boat is in the water which would mean filling it beyond the waterline. I was wondering whether there was another method using a heavy gas and detector or similar. I;m guessing in practice it's not too much of an issue.

 

[tom2207]

if you can get the water in , theres a hole big enough to suck it out again ,,, lol

You'd need to exceed the pressure equivalent to when the boat is in the water which would mean filling it beyond the waterline. I was wondering whether there was another method using a heavy gas and detector or similar. I;m guessing in practice it's not too much of an issue.

dont overthink it.

 

[Burdekin]

You'd need to exceed the pressure equivalent to when the boat is in the water which would mean filling it beyond the waterline. I was wondering whether there was another method using a heavy gas and detector or similar. I;m guessing in practice it's not too much of an issue.

The head pressure when in the water would be minimal, if there is no hole there wouldn’t be enough pressure to cause a leak.

 

[tom2207]

The head pressure when in the water would be minimal, if there is no hole there wouldn’t be enough pressure to cause a leak.

and if it was a pin prick porosity type hole , the rust would block it in a day or two , or the paint over the weld would seal it ,

 

[Trevorleach]

if you can get the water in , theres a hole big enough to suck it out again ,,, lol

then leave a bit of bradford hose in place to hand pump it out once in a while , from inside the boat , Im not a fan of drilling holes below the waterline , again depends if you have access to the top of the bilge keels from inside or not , but Id rather drill a hole and put a brass bung on the inside and bail it once in a while. Hard to know without looking from the inside of the boat really.

Brass wont last to long if in salt water.

 

[tom2207]

Brass wont last long if in salt water.

what ? the brass on my last boat was still gleaming , and that was nearly 100 years after it was built.

and lots of polishing of course.
Ive a brass pin sitting on my window ledge at the moment that was holding a ships hull together before it sank 300 years ago , still as good as the day it was made too , rest of the boat isnt just as good , although the hull was copper plated and its still like new too , brass is divers gold.

 

[Trevorleach]

what ? the brass on my last boat was still gleaming , and that was nearly 100 years after it was built.

and lots of polishing of course.

Key word being in, and not on.