crack in bilge

[cee-bee]

I have a 25' '79 c/b model it is still on trailor, ready for my first launch after many repairs. I discovered a small raised blister which is cracked open a little. it is located in the cabin bilge under the "crossmember" at the cabin floor . the crossmember divides the bildge opening fore and aft for support of the floor bilge cover. It appears to line up with the location of the pivot or wedges. It is hard to tell becuase of the trailor rollers are just beyond a large screw(s) port and star. I am not suprised the previous owner kept many secrets which have ate a chunk of the summer already, nothing has been as scary as this one! I read the arcived letters and didnt find anything like this, however I got an idea of the components in the trunk here(thanx OD owners).is it possible the wedge is pushed up into the bilge, this appears to be a potential below waterline leak, ANY IDEAS GUYS?there was some water trapped in the crack, from interior wash down. could I pump epoxy into this or am I dreaming? She is too precious to be anything but high and dry

 

[Don Evans]

Not To Worry

The area you described is a really rough, under the floorboard, out-a-sight fiberglass area. I have a few small, what looks like, open sores in the gelcoat here also, but they are really cosmetic. There also on a very thick piece of fiberglass and are not open to the water below. Actually I'd be more concerned about the water getting in from above, and laying in the bilge. I assume you have 2 bilge pumps for this divided area?Take some epoxy putty, after drying the area with a hair drier and seal it up. The wedges you described are used to support the delrin CB rod. There is nothing under pressure in the CB area, so relax. Enjoy your new baby.Don

 

[cee-bee]

hay Don

Thanks, I can see the light at the end of the barn. It got a bit dim last p.m.! when pig tailing in new pumps. what I found is under the blistered laminate (1/8" cloth&epoxy) is the lead. bilge water had got into a air pocket in the casting(lead) frozen and heaved the "cap" of the pocket. this piece of lead which was virtually loose, held oonly by some laminate is about the size of a silver dollar. the pocket is about 3" long and 1&1/2" wide. there is a hole between the cap (removed) and the pocket directly below. about 1" diameter. similar to one of those dam al-kada caves. anyhow because it is lead not glass, it is drying quickly. I am preparing to fill this with epoxy and some type of filler, re-lam the cloth into the repair and recoat with bilge coat. a smaller hose duct taped into the end of the shop vac hose really sucked the remaining juice out of this spot. the only external sign was a small drip on the lead edge bottom of the shoal/c.b. trunk. indicating there is other viens within the lead cast which I beleive is normal. It is nice to know that it was caused from H2O inside the boat not from outside. Again thanx for the quick response. This is small change compared to the past month and half. I redid the deck, impeller, bottom coat, all new halyards and many other misc. I am convinced these are awesome boats and the excitement will be longstanding well beyond the checkbook! Don good pep talk! I'm gettin' back out there and wrap this chapter out . Happy sailing, cheers!