This bulletin board, hosted by the CDSOA, Inc., is the on-line meeting place for all Cape Dory owners and groups. We welcome everyone's questions, answers and comments about Cape Dory sailboat
This is a picture of what microbiological damage can do to steel plate. At first, we thought that it was caused by electrolysis.
Having sections of damaged hull plate analyzed in a metal lab, we were told that microbiology ate almost half way through the quarter inch steel plate.
The USCG told us to remove the damaged plate and install new steel. We should be back in the water hopefully in late summer, 2010.
Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase 'getting the bugs out of her'.
Not a pretty sight. Do you have any idea what the source of this microbiological damage is? Polluted water? And do you know if this kind of damage can be found in materials other than steel?
Just curious, and a little worried, I never heard of this before.
Sometimes your vessel's becalmed for days and weeks on end,
Sometimes the winds of life will blow you off your course, my friend,
But the wind is sure to veer, you must stay aboard and steer,
And long may your big jib draw!
Rust was our initial thought, too. After that, some of us believed that the cause might be from electrolysis. Sections of plating from various sections of the hull were sent to a metallurgical lab for evaluation. There was no sign whatsoever of ferrous oxide. The analysis proved to be caused by microbiological invasion.
I shall follow up with some pictures in detail and the reason for the deterioration.
I won't pretend to know much about microbiology. It's the first time that I've come across it. From talking to others (non experts) I believe that microbiotics can have an effect on most anything under the sun. I hear tell that it can react on food, plants, even the human body. But little bugs that eat steel, that's a stretch for me.
We have been told that when we recommision the schooner, we should find a place to tie her up in a less secluded area, closer to open, moving water. Enclosed is a picture of a spit of fresh water about a quarter of a mile or so away from Lake Ontario proper. Since there is no tidal action in the Great Lakes, the spit is well protected from any water movement. We were told that this contributed to a lack of essential oxygen in the water around the schooner. This was the probable cause of the onset of our troubles.
The accompanying picture depicts where the schooner used to be tied up in the dead water at the end of the spit at the OMF (Oswego Maritime Foundation's) facilities.
That's sweet looking vessel, and seeing a picture of her makes me feel for you and your problems even more. But once you her get all back together you might want to think of moving to her to some real water, out of that over-sized pond she sails in. She'd look real handsome charging through the Gulf of St. Lawrence with a bone in her teeth. And a touch of some icy cold salt water might just freeze the b---s off those pesky little microbs.
All the best, and I hope the change of berth solves your problems.
Sometimes your vessel's becalmed for days and weeks on end,
Sometimes the winds of life will blow you off your course, my friend,
But the wind is sure to veer, you must stay aboard and steer,
And long may your big jib draw!
Here's a picture of us taking the schooner from Oswego down to Sodus Bay on Lake Ontario for her USCG inspection and bottom painting. It turned out to be a sad turn of events.
Winter is about over and work on the hull is about to resume. Hopefully, knock on wood, we will have her refloated sometime in late summer or early autumn of this year.
Last edited by Oswego John on Mar 15th, '10, 20:17, edited 1 time in total.
Sometimes your vessel's becalmed for days and weeks on end,
Sometimes the winds of life will blow you off your course, my friend,
But the wind is sure to veer, you must stay aboard and steer,
And long may your big jib draw!
