New SIB owner - Page 2

Blankton · 06 May 2019, 13:08

Hi All, I'm back again. Things haven't gone so well today!

I have put the boat on my trestle to look for leaks. I read online to cover in talc and then put a couple of pints of water in the boat and move it about to search out leaks, so this is what I did.

Boat on stands:

With talc:

There are patches at both ends of the transom, which have a slow drip from both.

There was a patch about half way from the front to the back, which had a weep.

Then a couple more bits of seam that were weeping right at the front.

and finally a little patch.

So the total damage was 2 leaking transom patches. 2 other patches and a couple of other areas of seam. I don't know if the seam with really light weeps are an issue? I think the leaking patches are the main concern - as I understand it will depend a lot on whether the person that did the previous patches used the correct glue that can be unstuck.

The next "good" news was that when I checked the keel valve, there was more damage than I thought. The threads are stripped in the female end. So the valve would need removing. I'm struggling to find much info on this design online. There is a hex nut on the outside of the valve, so I think it might be possible to unscrew it. poking my finger inside I can feel 3 slots at 120 degrees on the underside. It feels like I'd need a special tool with 3 retractable arms to fit in through the valve and then spring out to lock into the slots. I cant see anything similar online.

pagick · 06 May 2019, 14:58

If I was an old sib I’d want you to buy me! You’re on it!

Blankton · 06 May 2019, 15:22

You sound more confident in my abilities that I am!

I have emailed the place in Ilkeston to get a rough idea of price for a bit of a spruce-up. But if its more than I paid, I think I'll need a re-think and have a crack myself.

The weeping seams, I think might be best addressed by running a 4" strip of fabric down the whole length, going from the tubes to the floor. It seems to me that putting a round patch on a seam is a bit dodgy as the water / air will just track along the seam and escape at the edge of the patch. Whereas, if used a long strip there's less edges and I think the chance of water tracking along the whole seam would be reduced. Obviously more time / glue / fabric would be needed to go down that route.

The patches at the transom end I am a bit more flummoxed by. There are a lot of changes in angles/ height. I guess this is why the existing ones haven't sealed well. I could repeat the same, but trying to get better quality. Or try and do it in a different way.

jeffstevens763@g · 06 May 2019, 16:09

Never heard of talc used that way only washing up liquid mixed with water,pump the boat up where it leaks it bubbles out mark then repair poly marine have all the info plus all the different valves. But for me I would get Jason to give you a price he's good done some work for me the fire brigade use him speaks for it's self

pagick · 06 May 2019, 17:01

The talc test is new to me as well. I presumed your testing for water that gets into the boat under the floorboards? Just leave the one way plug open. Or a possibility to stop those small leaks some carefully placed Toobseal sealer inside along the leaking spots. It will at least slow if not stop since there is no air pressure. Now if any structural seams or patches are failing that needs to be fixed properly. And you might have a hull fabric delaminating issue and then possible transom issue. Those seams generally go first with age. If that’s the case it might be time to bail out. Sell it with your new stringers to someone with a 5hp who wants a harbor put put.
I’m sure jeffstevens763’s guy can help you know what to do.

beamishken · 06 May 2019, 17:54

Id agree with Pagick if its holding air then get out and use it you will get far more water in the boat over the sides or out your wetsuit as you climb in than through those little weeps
A bit of tube sealant would be my weapon of choice rather than pay a professional

Blankton · 06 May 2019, 19:00

I got the talk method from a Google search. Fairly liquid in water will work for an air leak, but you can't pressurise the inside of the boat to check for water leaks. It worked quite well. Even though it is now dry, you can see where the talc has run.

I am obviously not a boat surveyor, but the leaks didn't look structural to me. The previous owner said he got wet feet last time he used it. I was just trying to avoid this really.
The previous guy only had a 2hp engine, I'm not sure the one way plug would work so well tinkling around like that. I have got hold of a 9.9 2 stroke, so I think it would drain better. Is that correct?

beamishken · 06 May 2019, 19:41

Drain should work better with the 9.9 yes
We usually keep a large sponge for bailing out smaller amounts of water

pagick · 06 May 2019, 20:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by beamishken

Drain should work better with the 9.9 yes
We usually keep a large sponge for bailing out smaller amounts of water

I don’t know how you get the sponge to the water under the floor? What I did was drill a 2” hole thru the floor. Put it on the side you sit when driving from next transom. But a hand pump. The water will pool there when your sitting next to it.
The bailer works when you have enough motor to have the ocean/lake water flow away from the transom. The 9.9 should work fine as stated by beamishken

beamishken · 06 May 2019, 20:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by pagick

I don’t know how you get the sponge to the water under the floor? What I did was drill a 2” hole thru the floor. Put it on the side you sit when driving from next transom. But a hand pump. The water will pool there when your sitting next to it.
The bailer works when you have enough motor to have the ocean/lake water flow away from the transom. The 9.9 should work fine as stated by beamishken

ours was an air floor so drilling holes wasn't an option however the airfloor had a cutaway in the floor to give access to the sub floor a bit like a small transom well but big enough to get a sponge in

jeffstevens763@g · 06 May 2019, 20:51

If the mushroom valve is shot it will leak that's an easy fix the 2 hp would drain it if it was working the boat is ready for an overhaul that's all a bit of spilt petrol will weaken a mushroom valve.

Blankton · 06 May 2019, 21:15

Thanks for the advice. I am definitely leaning towards using as-is, or repairing myself. As I'm a fat bu&&er I can imagine the water pooling on my side.

I'm in Cornwall in 3 weeks time, so I want to have it resolved by then.

The floor is a bit rubbed. It's black. I would like to paint it, especially if it's going to get wet. Any advice on this? Or do I just Google "black boat paint" and do I paint the stretchers, or just oil them?

Sorry for all the questions!

pagick · 06 May 2019, 22:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blankton

Thanks for the advice. I am definitely leaning towards using as-is, or repairing myself. As I'm a fat bu&&er I can imagine the water pooling on my side.

I'm in Cornwall in 3 weeks time, so I want to have it resolved by then.

The floor is a bit rubbed. It's black. I would like to paint it, especially if it's going to get wet. Any advice on this? Or do I just Google "black boat paint" and do I paint the stretchers, or just oil them?

Sorry for all the questions!

Questions are ok but go out for a ride in it! you might not like it or love it and want something with less problems.
I like Oil Rustoleum semi gloss. Thick & not sticky when dry. But my prefered floor has outdoor carpet glued to it( or loose). Catches sand, helps stuff stay where you put it and its not slippery. My first sib Avon Spitfire had carpet on the ply from factory. My boat now has Boat carpet with a good quality rubber on the back, its just loose.
Now go for a ride and post a pic.

Blankton · 11 May 2019, 14:55

Back again. I tried to get the boat booked in for some repairs, but I guess its a busy time of the year and I was wanting to take it on holiday in 3 weeks time. So I took the plunge and brought some supplies to make a few repairs.

Ive had the boat on my stand and while scurrying around earlier in the week realised that I could see daylight through the floor in a few places. probably about 20 tiny pinholes. The pinholes were in lines, which I think align with the board joints. I reckon the previous owner using the boat without the stretchers might have contributed to this. Most of the holes had been sealed with some gummy stuff, but it was quite easy to rub it off, so this was an added issue, in addition to the stuff I'd already found when I did the leak test.

Daylight:

Gummy stuff:

My plan had been to remove the loose patches and re patch them.

The ones on the transom pulled off pretty easy

I'm not sure what they were covering.

From what I have read and been told, patching near a seam is not very sucsesfull, because the water can just track along the seam. I decided to try and increase my chanced of sucsess by putting a big patch, with healthy overlaps across the whole transom. My theory being that at least the large overlaps would be sitting nice and flat on the tubes and floor and be well sealed.

It started off like this:

Then I cut a bit of a pattern (forgot to take photo) and it ended up looking like this:

It was very stresfull trying to glue something with 2 part contact adhesive that was so large and went over so many uneven surface, but I think it looks fairly neat.

Next I removed another loose patch. There was a little tear under this:

I made a patch from the offcuts of the transom repair. Peeled off the loose glue and then removed the rest with the MEK solvent.

I decided to patch the little pinholes from inside. Firstly there was a lot of manky sealer on the outside. Secondly, it made it easy to see the light coming through. I just went patch crazy, making my own from more offcuts. The downside of this method is that I couldnt apply as much pressure upside down, but they seem to have taken well (once the glue is going off it sticks on instantly), so we will see what happens...

While scramballing around underneath the boat I did notice a bit of degregation at the base of the transom, which I couldnt see when the boat was right way up. I got a cloth with some solvent and was able to work my finger in cleaning the joint out as best I could, until I got back to what I felt was sound joint. In both cases it was about an inch. I then glued it up (or to be more precise glue - dry - glue - dry - stick) and made some props to hold the seam together tight.

Props in place:

Ive got to leave it all to dry now. I may try another leak test tomorrow to see if I have stopped any of them!

jeffstevens763@g · 11 May 2019, 16:37

well it's looking a lot better the transom patch i would have rounded the corners because it will peel back but i would leave it until it does then sort it. the floor pinholes best you have repaired from inside but i would spot on the holes outside with some stuff that fenlader knows of its shit hot he will be along to point you in the right direction.i dont see any reason you cant use it as is best to find all the faults and sort.

great job cheers

Splash gordon · 20 July 2020, 17:14

Currently looking for some of these online you should have made a few spares. recon you could have made a few quid !