On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 13:32:03 -0400, "Gary Warner"
wrote:



That boat, as some may be tired of reading, is a 1958
Chris Craft. It's a plywood lapstrake hull. Mostly we
trailer it. When running there is a small leak and the
bilge gets an inch or so of water. Each time we pull
her out all the water dries up. But that wood
remains damp for some time. ~ As I understand it
rot is really micro-organisims that eat away the wood
and they thrive when there is dampness but also
oxygen.

So my question: Is there anything, salt maybe?, that
I can put in the bilge water while running that will
curtail these criters & their rot while not harming
the wood or making a mess?

Or is it nothing to worry about?

Gary

Gary,

First, congratulations on getting your boat in the water. I'm sure it
was a lot of work.

In regards to your problem---
It is not a problem. It would be better were the boat not to leak at
all and had spiders in the bilge. However, most wooden boats will have
water in the bilge.Typically these leaks come from many tiny leaks.
Planing hulls, like yours, are flat aft. Two gallons of water in the
bilge will spread widely.
I would not spend too much time worrying about rot resulting from
dampness. After all, the outside of the hull gets wet as well.

I did a major restoration on a Chris Sea Skiff several years ago.It
had a small amount of water in the bilge. When the boat was put back
in service in the spring I would paint out the transom framing with
copper napthanate. If you are worried, you could do the same.

In my experience, rot ocurs from freshwater intrusion! Old wood hull GRAND
BANKS 32 belonging to a friend had reoccuring tbl in the fly-bridge area and
along the stbd side of the cabin by the head portlight where rain water
accumlated-the hull proper, exposed to sal****er forever was fine. OK not fine
but better! Old wood boats.................at least ya' got something to do!
Mike