This is a puzzlement. Why do I have these dark brownish/ black stains coming vertically down the hull beneath the weep holes on the toe rail? The rail itself has been finished with the cetol process.
Question: should the weep holes also be finished with the cetol?
Almost ready to get the boat to the water. I await your reply.
Fran
Dark vertical stains on hull underneath toerail weep holes
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Carl Thunberg
- Posts: 1300
- Joined: Nov 21st, '05, 08:20
- Location: CD28 Cruiser "Loon" Poorhouse Cove, ME
Hull Stains Beneath Weep Holes
Fran,
You say you're about to launch. I assume that means your boat is currently on the hard. Do you get leaves, seeds, and general crud that collects on your deck? When that crud gets wet it makes a tea, and that tea then stains the side of your hull as it drains through the toe rail. From what little information provided, it sounds like that's what's happening. The good news is, it cleans pretty easily, and it stops once you're on your mooring or in your slip away from trees.
I don't think the fact that your teak in the weep holes is unfinished is contributing to the staining because the water just isn't in contact with the sides of the holes long enough.
You say you're about to launch. I assume that means your boat is currently on the hard. Do you get leaves, seeds, and general crud that collects on your deck? When that crud gets wet it makes a tea, and that tea then stains the side of your hull as it drains through the toe rail. From what little information provided, it sounds like that's what's happening. The good news is, it cleans pretty easily, and it stops once you're on your mooring or in your slip away from trees.
I don't think the fact that your teak in the weep holes is unfinished is contributing to the staining because the water just isn't in contact with the sides of the holes long enough.
CDSOA Commodore - Member No. 725
"The more I expand the island of my knowledge, the more I expand the shoreline of my wonder"
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"The more I expand the island of my knowledge, the more I expand the shoreline of my wonder"
Sir Isaac Newton
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Mike Raehl
- Posts: 95
- Joined: Feb 7th, '05, 23:18
- Location: CD27 #151, Roberta Jane III, Belmont Harbor, Chicago
Air Pollution
The same occurs on our boat. I suspect that contaminants in the air settle on the deck and are washed overboard by rain water flowing through the weep holes in the toe rail. So what you see on the topsides are essentially mineral deposits. Use whatever works to get the stain off starting with the least aggressive cleaner and progressing to a fine rubbing compound if necessary. Wax after cleaning to make the job easier the next time. In downtown Chicago, I have to clean the top side / weep hole areas at least three times each season.
Fair Winds....
Fair Winds....
Mike Raehl
Vertical stains
One strong possibility is that the stains are generated from corrosion of the fasteners that connect the deck to the hull or the toe/rub rail to the deck.
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Oswego John
- Posts: 3535
- Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 20:42
- Location: '66 Typhoon "Grace", Hull # 42, Schooner "Ontario", CD 85D Hull #1
Weep Hole Stains
I used to live near a coal burning powerhouse or electrical generation station. That was before the nuclear era.
These powerhouses spew flyash and other contaminants 24 / 7. Every now and then, usually 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning when everyone slept, they'd blow the system down and you'd swear that it was snowing. The government put their foot down and the power company had to install scrubbers and precipitators on the stacks. It was an endless job trying to keep the deck clean, not to mention the hood of your car.
Now all I have to worry about is acid rain.
As to treating your weepholes with Cetol, some people do and some don't. I'm one of those that do. I use a Q-Tip for a paint brush. My thought is that part of the arc of the weep hole is end grain and I don't want any water being absorbed into the wood.
But that's just me. It's not a biggie like tiller/wheel, varnish/Cetol or lock the prop or let it freewheel.
It's not a bad idea, especially when on the hard, to check that the weep holes are kept clear, not clogged up. Leaves and other crud can plug them up. As previously mentioned, a waxed hull prevents deep staining and simplifies cleanup.
My 2¢
Have a good weekend.
O J
These powerhouses spew flyash and other contaminants 24 / 7. Every now and then, usually 3 or 4 o'clock in the morning when everyone slept, they'd blow the system down and you'd swear that it was snowing. The government put their foot down and the power company had to install scrubbers and precipitators on the stacks. It was an endless job trying to keep the deck clean, not to mention the hood of your car.
Now all I have to worry about is acid rain.
As to treating your weepholes with Cetol, some people do and some don't. I'm one of those that do. I use a Q-Tip for a paint brush. My thought is that part of the arc of the weep hole is end grain and I don't want any water being absorbed into the wood.
But that's just me. It's not a biggie like tiller/wheel, varnish/Cetol or lock the prop or let it freewheel.
It's not a bad idea, especially when on the hard, to check that the weep holes are kept clear, not clogged up. Leaves and other crud can plug them up. As previously mentioned, a waxed hull prevents deep staining and simplifies cleanup.
My 2¢
Have a good weekend.
O J
Vertical stains (2)
If the stains are only under the weepholes, it is more likely to be dirt and grime than corrosion.
Drip Lips
Robinhood cuts a semi circle of a firm rubber and fastens it to the underside of the rub rail with a small strip of bronze. Any water will drip into the water instead of running down the topsides. Looks a little funny but works great.
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Bill Cochrane
- Posts: 212
- Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 13:42
- Location: Cape Dory 36 #114
s/v Phoenix
Drip Lips?
Dalton, could you post a picture of that? I'm sure there are many who would like to copy it. Or at least let us know how far out it projects, and how wide it is.
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Fran
Thank you to all . This problen has gone on for 2 seasons. We are in a no leaf area so no "tea" is being made. Acid rain is a problem in this area. R Meigel's comment that the stains may be from corrosion of the fasteners that connect the deck to the hull or the toe rub rail to the deck got my worried attention. Exactly how would one determine that problem?
I do clean the weep holes with a green strip of the scotch brite cut to the width of the weep hole.
If the rain stops, I will get started on cetoling the weep holes as sugested.
Fran
The Robinhood solution, I will save for thew future.
I do clean the weep holes with a green strip of the scotch brite cut to the width of the weep hole.
If the rain stops, I will get started on cetoling the weep holes as sugested.
Fran
The Robinhood solution, I will save for thew future.
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Bill Cochrane
- Posts: 212
- Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 13:42
- Location: Cape Dory 36 #114
s/v Phoenix
fastener corrosion
Fran,
The factory-supplied rub strake and fasteners are bronze. The toerail is fastened with stainless steel screws and well bedded. That, together with the fact that you're only seeing the streaks at the scuppers, pretty much eliminates fastener corrosion as the issue. I have the same problem (as, I suspect, do all CD owners), have no trees near my slip, and am satisified that it's merely dirt and pollution washing off the deck with rainfall.
Annoying, but not a structural problem.
The factory-supplied rub strake and fasteners are bronze. The toerail is fastened with stainless steel screws and well bedded. That, together with the fact that you're only seeing the streaks at the scuppers, pretty much eliminates fastener corrosion as the issue. I have the same problem (as, I suspect, do all CD owners), have no trees near my slip, and am satisified that it's merely dirt and pollution washing off the deck with rainfall.
Annoying, but not a structural problem.
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s-dupuis
- Posts: 67
- Joined: Mar 20th, '06, 11:56
- Location: CD 22, Setting Star, Manchester NH
- Contact:
Hidden Debris
Last year, (the first season with my CD22) I acquired vertical stains, not only at the toe rail drains but also on the sides of the cabin, all along (under) the long decorative teak strip above where the ports are.
This year, I tried using a garden hose to blast out any debris that may be lurking under the sea hood. The highest stains up eminated from the 4 molded drains coming from under the teak hatch slides.
Well, after 10 minutes of continuous hosing and seeing lots of old rotting vegetation exiting with no apparent end, I decided to unscrew and remove the hood.
Low and behold, there was a 'mass' of rotting leaves and 'mouse-house' insulation under there. About a 10 lb. wad. Even when the hatch is opened and the cavity under the sea hood is mostly filled by the sliding hatch, there is still a large space about 4"- 5" deep beyond the hatch under the hood. Most debris that finds it's way under there will be permanently trapped and will probably never see the light of day again without removing the hood.
Rain water running over the hatch flows down the grooves for the hatch, stews for a while in the debris pile and finally exits via the 4 drains. It would then run along the teak strip, staining the cabin and finally run down the deck to the toe rails.
You may not be making tea on deck. You may actually have a drip style coffee maker instead.
I launched yesterday. Time will tell if I have curred the streaking and stains.
Steve
s/v Setting Star
This year, I tried using a garden hose to blast out any debris that may be lurking under the sea hood. The highest stains up eminated from the 4 molded drains coming from under the teak hatch slides.
Well, after 10 minutes of continuous hosing and seeing lots of old rotting vegetation exiting with no apparent end, I decided to unscrew and remove the hood.
Low and behold, there was a 'mass' of rotting leaves and 'mouse-house' insulation under there. About a 10 lb. wad. Even when the hatch is opened and the cavity under the sea hood is mostly filled by the sliding hatch, there is still a large space about 4"- 5" deep beyond the hatch under the hood. Most debris that finds it's way under there will be permanently trapped and will probably never see the light of day again without removing the hood.
Rain water running over the hatch flows down the grooves for the hatch, stews for a while in the debris pile and finally exits via the 4 drains. It would then run along the teak strip, staining the cabin and finally run down the deck to the toe rails.
You may not be making tea on deck. You may actually have a drip style coffee maker instead.
I launched yesterday. Time will tell if I have curred the streaking and stains.
Steve
s/v Setting Star
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barfwinkle
- Posts: 2169
- Joined: Feb 6th, '05, 10:34
- Location: S/V Rhapsody CD25D
I can't help
with finding the problem, but this stuff should take it off.
It works wonders on brown stains. No fuss no muss.
THis is one site where I found it but there are others.
http://www.western-marine.com/page81.htm
It works wonders on brown stains. No fuss no muss.
THis is one site where I found it but there are others.
http://www.western-marine.com/page81.htm
Bill Member #250.
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M. R. Bober
- Posts: 1122
- Joined: Feb 6th, '05, 08:59
- Location: CARETAKER CD28 Flybridge Trawler
ZUD will also work. Be careful with both of these products (& FSR) as they contain oxalic acid. Protect your eyes and skin. Also keep it off of painted surfaces and most NicoFico vents as it will attack their surfaces.
Mitchell Bober
Sunny Annapolis (where ZUD is thinner than water) MD
Mitchell Bober
Sunny Annapolis (where ZUD is thinner than water) MD
Last edited by M. R. Bober on May 1st, '07, 16:34, edited 1 time in total.
CDSOA Founding Member
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Emil Maurer
- Posts: 73
- Joined: Feb 9th, '05, 01:30
- Location: CD 25D
Dark Vertical Stains
I would certainly try shaving cream foam first for cleaning the hull stains. I heard about the remedy on this board.
I found it effective, effortless and economical not to mention easy on the skin, both yours and the boat's. It was like magic to me.
I was getting stickey gook rubbing off horizontal fenders, hung on the dock edge, onto the white hull. I had invested in various cleaners none of which worked very well.
Wow was I impressed with the shaving cream/foam!
I found it effective, effortless and economical not to mention easy on the skin, both yours and the boat's. It was like magic to me.
I was getting stickey gook rubbing off horizontal fenders, hung on the dock edge, onto the white hull. I had invested in various cleaners none of which worked very well.
Wow was I impressed with the shaving cream/foam!
Emil Maurer