Fouling and Lightening

[GregF]

There may have even been some JB Weld that came out with the old paint.
That was a popular fix around here for a while, that or Marine Tex. The big problem is still getting it to bond to corroded aluminum. I have seen guys drill out the pits and Marine Tex that. They had better luck but they still had to be small pits.
The real fix is TIG and that is the only thing I would do.

[Ron Burgundy]

I going nutz waiting for the estimate from the welder. What do you think I am looking at to patch 4-5 small holes? All I know is he charges by the hour, but I don't know the rate, or how long the job will take.

[GregF]

The last time I had a TIG guy here it was $100 minimum call and I had a hard time using up the hour. That was a truck in my driveway. He actually had a trailer with a small machine shop in it but machine shop work was extra if I had needed it.
Just remember they charge the same for prep work as they do for welding so if you have the work area ready to go, it will save you money. I thought I had everything clean but he still did a little more cleaning.

[badmoonrising]

Yeah and if there is any JB Weld, Marine Tex or any other crap present it'll just piss him off. Welders hate that stuff.

[Ron Burgundy]

The marina owner is going to trailer my boat to the welders workshop. No JB Weld or other crap in the holes. Shouldn't be too much prep work for him. So maybe 2-3 hours seems reasonable??

[Ron Burgundy]

Welding is gonna cost $375.

My boat has been gone so long (2 1/2 weeks) that my wife now has me remodeling the downstairs bathroom. Damn, I knew that was gonna' happen.

[Ron Burgundy]

The marina finished my boat the day before Easter, and I went today to pick it up. All of the holes were welded up. Looks like there were about 5-6 all together, and they were all located in a straingt line on the pontoon's where the carpet from a trailer would be. The tech suspects that the previous owner repeatedly put the boat on the trailer without washing off any salt, and let it sit there wet while the salt slowly corroded the aluminium. Most likely they did poor bottom paint job to cover up the problem. When the damage was welded they did a pressure test and it passed without any leaks. After looking at the condition of the pontoons they decided that I would be fine with the standard anti-fouling paint instead of using Rhino Liner on the hull. So now I have two thick coats of primer and fresh coats of Trilux 33. Should help keep me clean for a few more seaons.

Pressure wash and barnacle scrape - $120

Aluminium welding - $325

Old paint and primer removal, New primer and Trilux 33 - $840

Tax man - $85

5 gallons of Ethonol Free gas - $23

Gatorade and BBQ chips -$3

Cruising in the Gulf with salt spray hitting my face,
rolling in 2-3 foot swell and white caps,
watching a thunderstorm build in front of my eyes,
listening to my son laugh as water splashes over the playpen. - Priceless


(actually about $1300...Visa is nutz...Freedom isn't Free)

[badmoonrising]

Glad to hear you're back on the water. Hope it goes this quick for me

[GregF]

The diagnosis may be accurate about the trailer and I bet you can add some copper from PT lumber to the chemistry.
It is virtually impossible to get the salt water out from under the hulls sitting on trailer bunks without picking up the boat. That may be a good reason why my trailer has rubber rollers, not bunks.

[Ron Burgundy]

The rubber rollers are a good idea. The guy said carpet is a pretty bad choice for unprotected aluminium in salt water conditions. It just holds the moisture too much. I think copper definately speed up the corrosion process. I never thought about copper in the wood. Between the wood and the bottom paint those hulls were under constant attack.

Thanks again guys. Hope you get on the water soon BMR. It was about three weeks for me, but I was able to go out with my father in-law a couple times so it made the time less painfull. I know how frustrating it can be. Especially when you have to pay for someone elses bonehead mistakes.

[badmoonrising]

I'll be out on the water, hopefully this weekend. Unfortunately not on the PC but on my 43 year old Starcraft