Odd Keel Rust

[etfink]

Greetings owners,

I am the lucky owner of an 83 H34 that I have had out of the water since November (~ 6 months) and completely stripped to bare iron, epoxied, faired, and epoxied some more and have been quite meticulous in stripping and applying epoxy coats.

After some torential rain storms I notices some a rust spot coming through the epoxy (see pictures) near the back and front of the keel close to the hull. They seem to be constrained to these two spots (at this time), but I cannot figure out where the moisture is coming from. As I mentioned, its been out of the water for a while, and the bilge is dry. The bilge is actually well forward of the aft spot and the keel bolts are not all rusty or appear to be comprimised.

It's frustrating to have done all this work and to have these $%&^#@! appear.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
E

 

[caguy]

Greetings owners,

I am the lucky owner of an 83 H34 that I have had out of the water since November (~ 6 months) and completely stripped to bare iron, epoxied, faired, and epoxied some more and have been quite meticulous in stripping and applying epoxy coats.

After some torential rain storms I notices some a rust spot coming through the epoxy (see pictures) near the back and front of the keel close to the hull. They seem to be constrained to these two spots (at this time), but I cannot figure out where the moisture is coming from. As I mentioned, its been out of the water for a while, and the bilge is dry. The bilge is actually well forward of the aft spot and the keel bolts are not all rusty or appear to be comprimised.

It's frustrating to have done all this work and to have these $%&^#@! appear.

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
E

I wonder if they could be some iron contaminant from an the yard or tools used to do your work.

 

[Richard Bryer]

I sympathize with you- I spent 2 months under my boat - same year as yours- last summer and after 3 months in the water i had a couple of small spots like yours. I dremeled them down to bare metal and put a small dab of epoxy fairing compound in the dimples this spring.
Yours look to be on the starboard side of the keel as were mine. I have heard that the iron keels were cast with that side up which results in all the impurities- and because this is largely scrap metal- the are lots- floating to the surface on this side. I certainly had more rusty spots on that side pre re-doing the keel.

 

[Warren Milberg]

In my opinion, those spots are from retained moisture in the keel. I think this happens when an iron keel is stripped to bare metal and not etched or sealed immediately which is almost impossible to do. I'd just sand and spot treat them and go sailing.... rest of keel looks great.

 

[CCHer]

What Richard and Warren said. Spot fix, check it out when you haul next winter. I want to see you back in the water.

 

[heart of gold]

I did this job last year in March. It rained the whole time and was not very warm so I had to tent the boat off and heat it. I had it sandblasted to bare metal. That was the first day. That night I pointed the heater at the keel to dry it out some more and the next morning I was surprised to see water weeping from the keel. I left it heating for the day and managed to get it to around 100degrees F at which point it seemed dry. then I sealed it etc. I just had the boat on the tide grid the other day and so far no rust spots and all looks good. I think the cast is quite porous and does sponge up water over time. Maybe this is what you are seeing?

 

[etfink]

Thanks for your advice everyone. I think I will spend (some) of my Memorial day weekend memorializing my rust spots by gringing them down and retreating them. The wifie wont mind, right?

Not such a bad thing, as waiting for epoxy to dry provides ample time for beer drinking, though it's better to drink above the waterline than below.

I will let you know how I make out with either the wife or the boat. Have a great holiday!

- E