I'm revisiting this site for my old pal, Lew, who owns an '83 (I think) O'Day 28. He's still on the hard and took a look at his hull, which he'll have bottom-painted this year. He was surprised to see a suspicious circular pattern of close to a foot in diameter encompassing his old knot meter. I went to take a look and it is indeed odd. I looked inside and the unit appears to be of non-metallic construction. The installation seems secure, and I have no clue as to why this circular pattern, seen in layers of bottom paint, might form.
Yet even more disturbing is the look of the fitting next to the knot meter. This boat once had a saildrive, and for some reason it was removed long ago, to be replaced by outboard propulsion. I assume a custom cap for the saildrive was seated in place of the missing engine. I further assume it was attached with the aid of the very bolts used to secure the engine. Presently, however, all bolt heads are rusted off and the cap (if indeed that is what it is) looks pretty time-worn. Which made me consider the possibility of catastrophic failure. I will say that from the outside the cap seems to be robust.
These are the ruminations of someone with little specific knowledge about saildrives, or exotic corrosion in general. I have some photos which I've posted here, showing the knot meter "crop circle" from the outside, as well as from the inside, next to the saildrive "cap".
Thanks in advance for any diagnosis.
Paul
Yet even more disturbing is the look of the fitting next to the knot meter. This boat once had a saildrive, and for some reason it was removed long ago, to be replaced by outboard propulsion. I assume a custom cap for the saildrive was seated in place of the missing engine. I further assume it was attached with the aid of the very bolts used to secure the engine. Presently, however, all bolt heads are rusted off and the cap (if indeed that is what it is) looks pretty time-worn. Which made me consider the possibility of catastrophic failure. I will say that from the outside the cap seems to be robust.
These are the ruminations of someone with little specific knowledge about saildrives, or exotic corrosion in general. I have some photos which I've posted here, showing the knot meter "crop circle" from the outside, as well as from the inside, next to the saildrive "cap".
Thanks in advance for any diagnosis.
Paul
