Ariel #24

[mbd]

I would think something is up on the opposite side of that lead bulge. Could be telling. It seems like the bulge is a symptom, not the cause. Just a thought.

Another thought: your boat has been out of the water a very long time, and was not very weather tight by the looks of things. I wonder if the repeated freeze/thaw cycle could have worked its way into a crevice in the lead casting and had its way with the lead over a number of years? (Looks like Bill posted while I was writing the edit...)