Ariel #24

[bill@ariel231]

Ebb

I had the same experience with a loosely installed bulkhead between the lazarette and the cockpit. On one particularly breezy day I ended up with a bilge full of water from the outboard well drain finding it's way around&over the bulkhead and into the bilge. water was above the cabin sole before we noticed the problem.

folks who still have outboard wells might want to make sure the bulkhead is sealed right up to the deck. a small gap at deck level was the path from my outboard locker to the bilge....

cheers,
Bill

[Tim Mertinooke]

Well, after a week of neverending precipitation and temps too low to epoxy, it looks as though mother nature is taking pity on me. Last night I layed up the initial layers on my porch that will be flexed into place behind the hull and be adhered using thickened epoxy. This will allow me to have a solid flush layer to begin laminating against while maintaining the inch or so gap between the lead and the hull.


This is the laminate after it cured overnight. It shows the half inch overlap. This piece will be flexed and placed in the space between the hull and lead ballast and then adhered to the backside of the hull with thickened epoxy. Doing this increases the number of epoxy saturated layers that adhere to the chamfered polyester resin. This will make a more seamless repair flush on the front and backside. It also creates a flat and secure surface to work against making the job easier. Once the epoxy cures I will start the layup. Could be later today, could be tomorrow depending when it is solid enough to work against.

[Tim Mertinooke]

The piece fit well as expected. I have five wires holding it in place until the thickened epoxy cures, at which time the area will be coated with a thin coat of thickened epoxy so that it is fair with the backside of the hull. Then the area will be prepped and then the laminating begins. I'm going to miss the lead view I have so much enjoyed over the past few weeks.

The copper wire was already attached when the disk was flexed into position inside the hull and immediately pulled tight.



With the disk secured by the middle copper wire it stayed in position. I then attached the other four wires which pulled it evenly squishing the epoxy out.



The excess epoxy was then removed.

[joe]

THat is some damn fine work Tim, my hat's off to you

[mbd]

Nicely done Tim! Thanks for all the pics and updates. Looks like #24 has found herself an excellent new home. Looking forward to seeing your continuing progress.

BTW, not to side track things, but I'm curious: how has the topsides paint job held up? I know the PO had it done at an automotive shop. It certainly opens up a whole lot of color options over the standard marine paints.

[Tim Mertinooke]

The epoxy has set so I removed the wires that were holding the disk in place. The plan is to mix up a little more epoxy with filler and coat the disk so that it is fair with the backside of the hull. Then I will let that completely cure overnight. In the morning I'll remove the amine blush, sand the area fair, then prep, and finally begin laminating. I figure there will be close to fifteen layers of glass to bring it close to flush with the outside of the hull. Then I'll put a nice thin smooth coating of epoxy with filler to cap it off. Then bottom paint and I'll be done with this keel bulge thing.

[Tim Mertinooke]

I coated the disk with a thin layer of thickened epoxy, then faired as well as I could. With it being on a vertical surface fairing was a little difficult. I imagine there will be a small amount of light sanding with my random orbital tomorrow once the epoxy has cured. This will create that nice surface flush with the backside of the keel that the future laminate gets adhered too. Plus the area is now sealed off which feels good. Hull for A-24 is regaining its integrity!

[frank durant]

Looks GREAT !! Thank you!! I have put off a restoration of my electra too long..it will happen this year. I have a long hole in the keel and your idea is much better and simpler than what I had planned.These sites really are trully valueable to all who use them. Thanks for sharing...keep up the great pics and work

[Tim Mertinooke]

Frank the idea was Don Casey's. He gives a detailed step-by-step procedure about how to fill a hole like this without inside access. When I read it it made perfect sense so I decided that was the road I was taking. The book is Sailboat Hull and Deck Repair. The repair is coming along nicely and so far I am happy with the results. I had half a mind to begin laying up some glass tonight, but I don't want to generate too much heat from the exothermic reaction curing epoxy creates.

BTW- This is a question for those who have laminated with epoxy. I decided to use cloth to laminate all of the layers for my repair due to the fact that I have seen other repairs done this way, I have a published source stating that this works, and it is what I have on hand. How many layers can I get away with laminating at a time so that there is not too much heat generated. Four? Ten? More?

[frank durant]

I've done 7 with no problems using West Epoxy and cloth. I don't know at what point it goes "tilt" ??

[Hull376]

Tim, Bill, ebb,

I never "dug" into the floor of the outboard well, and was going to take a peek by drilling a couple of holes through which I could remove any wet foam. These posts seem to indicate that its about a 100% certaintly that there is water under the outboard well floor, and that there is a high probability that the bulkhead was tabbed quickly and without much attention to detail. So that means that I'll probably wind up demolishing the whole floor, sealing the bulkhead all the way around, as ebb recommends, and then deciding whether or not to put in another floor. And what was the point of the outboard well floor? Was it needed to allow the outboard well to have a self draining system (that hole). Am I on track here with what you guys are saying?

Also, can I do this with the boat in the water? Any risk of water coming up through the bottom with the floor removed (I can't see how unless the hull has a hole in it! But then me with a blunt instrument and a hammer in my hand so close to the hull laminate sounds like a disaster waiting to happen---- abandon ship!!! she's been holed!!! where's that Dutch Kid when you need him???).

[Bill]

And what was the point of the outboard well floor? ... Any risk of water coming up through the bottom with the floor removed

Without a floor, water will collect in the open space with no where to go, but maybe into the bilge if there is an opening. The floor also provides a level area for the fuel tank and storing the ob. Search for other discussions on the ob well.

[Tim Mertinooke]

I sanded the area this morning and made a nice spoon in the thickened epoxy that I smeared on last night. I tried to make the chamfer consistent from the center to the outside perimeter. It's now ready for the laminate and epoxy.






Then I cut out the fiberglass pieces that would be laminated. I will laminate the largest piece first following by successively smaller pieces. Then it will be coated with thickened epoxy.