NewCanalBoy

B*LL*cks.

Heading down the River Lark.

Ok - maybe I'm panicking too much ! It's a 6mm base plate and 10 years old. Front deck does not drain into the bilge. I'll concentrate on getting it dry and watching for more water. If I get it dry enough might just spray some Dinitrol down there.

Returned to my mooring yesterday and mopped most of the remaining water out. The floor looks good - or what you can see of it, no long lasting signs of rust. I then stuck my phone down inside and took some short videos. Away from the inspection hatch is quite a bit of rust and there was still some water pooling which I tried to move over shifting weight around the boat. So water must have been in there at different times. Now - 1) I hate rust. 2) I REALLY hate rust. 3) I REALLY hate rust when I know it's there and I can't get at it. So I think I'm only going to be happy when the floor is derusted, treated and painted. I'm sure people have done this many times but how to get the floor up ? It's laid with large pieces of ply with a laminated floor look a like stick down panels. I can't see where the main boards end so thinking all I can do is cut the board across where I know there is a cross member (so it can be laid back down easily on top again.). I'll have a straight cut across the floor but maybe a thin line a brown silicon stuff might not look too bad ? Anyhow, how to cut through the floor, no mains electricity on my mooring, no generator. Buy a battery circular saw ? The only problem I see is that it won't cut into the corners up to the wall so won't quite finish the job. Chisel to finish it off ? Bloody boats. Or do people just ignore what's going rusty under the floor boards ?!

Well it was pumping out for a few seconds but as I had the engine running I hadn't heard it, happen to see it. And yes the float switch triggered it, I then rocked the boat trying to get as much water out as possible. Now down to sponges to get the last out. Want to try and leave it dry and then see if anymore comes in during some more rain. I have a feeling this might be tricky to track down !!

Got under the well deck and scrambled about, really no evidence of any leaks. Feel sure it's not that. I guess if it is a pin hole leak in the Cali thing - it could have been happening for weeks without me knowing.

Oh I see, yes the main cold water pump cuts in and out as before - no difference from what I remember.

The PRV goes out into the engine bay so not that and not leaking. The pump is a float pump (just a normal bilge pump) it's the first time I've witnessed it go off. Haven't been on the boat for a month so could have been going off. Did think I was using a bit more water than normal. I'm going to try and dry everything out and then check out around the calorifior (sp?!) again.

That's what I've been thinking. I know there are lots of different makes but how long should one last ! Think it's 10 years old - should last a bit longer ? Boat has not been heavily used but I guess just water sitting in it does the damage, not use.

No, engine bay dry and sealed from main cabin. I guess I described it as bilge pump but it's a pump in the floor in the interior cabin.

Well I untied the lines today and ready to push off and loads of water was being pumped out the side. Most strange. I had only just started the engine but it's not a raw cooled engine. Damn Obviously the bilge pump. It's never gone off, it's always bone dry where it sits. Went to check and there's about an inch of water in there !! It's in the rear most part of the interior compartment. It seemed like it was just fresh water so a bit of a relief !! Anyhow I checked all round the front water tank getting in down below and no signs of any dampness, main pump dry, floor dry. Next the shower room, inspection hatch revealed bone dry floor, no evidence of anything. Next the kitchen sink/taps, bone dry, again no evidence or water marks. Back to where the bilge pump is next door is the hot water tank, small signs of dampness but not much. It can be the only place I'm sure. Anyway, I emptied the bow tank rather than it appear in the boat. Next I started to drain the hot water tank a bit. But then I stopped, if I empty every tank then I'm not going to find the leak am I ?! Is there a way of pressuring the system to find a leak ? It may not be from water tanks but find it hard to believe it would be rain water getting in.

Looks like a quick few swipes with a wire brush and most of that will disappear. Then rust converter on top. Gets banged about on the canals so keep some spare paint to slap it back on every so often !

@dmr - yes thank you - just reading up on alkyd as seen it advertised. Still wasn't described as 'oil based' in the blurb !!

So what is oil based paint known as now ?! I'm confused with all the different terms !!

Ok cheers - thought cellulose paint was what I needed. Bum. Clean up operation needs to start.........