"leeching" from keel

[charlie palumbo]

approximately two haulouts ago, I noticed what appeared to be a wet spot about the size of a silver dollar on the aft end of my keel, a few inches before the rudder. I checked it throughout the winter...sometimes it was dry...sometimes it wasn't. The bottom is otherwise in excellent condition. It does not look like a blister problem. there is a tiny slit in this area which at times appears to be leeching. This past spring I thoroughly sanded the area and applied west system to this area. About two months after I hauled this year, and the hull had thoroughly dried, I noticed the same spot.The leaching from the tiny slit seemed to eat through the west epoxy like acid. Also this year not to far from this spot, I noticed dry green drip marks, sort of like the green you see on copper. Any suggestions on correcting this problem would be greatly appreciated.



jcp1347@gateway.net

[John L. Reizian]

The leeching, I believe, may be the result of water collecting in a void or voids within the keel (not unusual) and, as you described it, leeching out. The water probably originally collected in the bilge and, over time, found its way through fissures and cracks, down past the hardened slurry encasing the lead in the internal keel, finally coming to collect over time in the void. As noted in other "correspondence" on this board, one possible solution (and one I'm considering) is the installation of a garboard plug. At the end of the season, AFTER the boat is hauled, the plug is removed and, presumably, rather than collecting, the water finds its way out or evaporates. Then, at the beginning of the next season, BEFORE launching, the plug is replaced and away you go. I've seen some anectodal remarks indicating that the cost of doing this is under $200. I hope this helps.

Best regards, John s/v "Star" (CD25)

approximately two haulouts ago, I noticed what appeared to be a wet spot about the size of a silver dollar on the aft end of my keel, a few inches before the rudder. I checked it throughout the winter...sometimes it was dry...sometimes it wasn't. The bottom is otherwise in excellent condition. It does not look like a blister problem. there is a tiny slit in this area which at times appears to be leeching. This past spring I thoroughly sanded the area and applied west system to this area. About two months after I hauled this year, and the hull had thoroughly dried, I noticed the same spot.The leaching from the tiny slit seemed to eat through the west epoxy like acid. Also this year not to far from this spot, I noticed dry green drip marks, sort of like the green you see on copper. Any suggestions on correcting this problem would be greatly appreciated.

jlreizian@snet.net

[Duncan Maio]

Charlie:

Is the wet spot/crack near the heel fitting on the rudder? if so, the crack is probably along a joint where the hull was faired over the bronze heel fitting (that would explain the green drips, too. I'd bet that there is a small void under the fairing compound.

Remedy does not have the weeping that you describe, but does have recurring cracks - the surveyor and yard agree that it's not even worth thinking about until either the rudder or the bottom need work. In your case, I'd expose (and reattach) the rudder fitting and refair the whole thing, to eliminate the void and the cracks (for at least a few seasons).

If the crack is higher up, none of this applies.

Duncan Maio
s/v Remedy
CD27 #37




mail@mysticmarine.net

[grenier]

approximately two haulouts ago, I noticed what appeared to be a wet spot about the size of a silver dollar on the aft end of my keel, a few inches before the rudder. I checked it throughout the winter...sometimes it was dry...sometimes it wasn't. The bottom is otherwise in excellent condition. It does not look like a blister problem. there is a tiny slit in this area which at times appears to be leeching. This past spring I thoroughly sanded the area and applied west system to this area. About two months after I hauled this year, and the hull had thoroughly dried, I noticed the same spot.The leaching from the tiny slit seemed to eat through the west epoxy like acid. Also this year not to far from this spot, I noticed dry green drip marks, sort of like the green you see on copper. Any suggestions on correcting this problem would be greatly appreciated.

I went through the same thing with my 1975 cd 28-every year when it was in the yard there was a "wet Spot" near the rudder shoe-about 12" up. It looked like a local cat or dog was using my boat for a pit stop-so being curious I took a dremel and went exploring-I found a void in the glass at the bottom of the keel-I made 2 holes about the size of a quarter-at the top and bottom of the void and blew out a considerable amount of water with an air compressor-over the course of several weeks as it kept collecting-I then dried it out with a heat gun (hair dryer will do) poured some acetetone down it with the use of a funnel and packed the entire void with fiberglass matting and west sytem epxoy-did some finish grinding and voila-problem solved for about $10-I had put up wih this problem for years so its not a critical item-it never seemed to progress-although no doubt the water was freezing in there in the winter-I could not tell if it was fresh or salt and I was not about to tase it-but yes-it is probable you have a void in the fibeglass-mine was farily large-so good luck-use a respirator and goggles when grinding-or just leave it and keep an eye on it-



grenier@ma.ultranet.com