What is this textured paper-y stuff in my bilge?

[Guest]

@davem399 and @Tacet. Are right I think - looks like stuff being sold a 'breathable membrane' for roofs.

 

Edited to add: it does seem to come in both blue and black like I have (and other colours). Think the plan will be... 

* definitely cut out any wet bits which seem to be against the hull under shower overflow

* have a proper look at how much air there is between membrane and hull by removing some boards in bow cabin once vynil is up

* panic when I find there is little/none 

* remove it from bow cabin and as far under next cabin as can reach from there 

* put ballast back on top of cut lengths of cable? 

 

* definitely go ahead with extra inspection hatches/wine cellars and remove anything I can reach under those? 

 

I (nicely asked someone else to)  butcher(ed) one of my shore power cables to make a short one for when were moored close to bollard so have loads of mucky cable with no ends or home. 

 

Sounds sensible / overkill / under kill? 

 

Boat is 2005 (although RCD later so not sure how long has been in water) and 2019 hull survey said thicknesses of baseplate were within tolerances for 10mm.

 

 

Edited January 21, 2020 by TheMenagerieAfloat
Added plan

[angelasoldman]

Google Centex spill pads.

 

 

[Boater Sam]

Did you mean these for piggy wigs?

 

https://www.lazada.com.ph/products/10-pads-new-pig-mat423-oil-only-white-absorbent-mat-pad-lightweight-14-oz-absorbency-20-l-x-15-w-i214086479-s276747816.html?exlaz=d_1:mm_150050845_51350205_2010350205::12:1032129542!52512091404!!!pla-293946777986!c!293946777986!276747816!135760435&gclid=CjwKCAiA35rxBRAWEiwADqB379vKCVZzfE7D2mlrrRn84LkLq0L5P6WAeRzSje39NhHenkDXYesZHRoClpMQAvD_BwE

[Guest]

Chemtex seems to make a whole range of spill-related stuff... I take it @angelasoldman you meant that I might want some to dry things out rather than that something in their (extensive) range was what I had?

My suspicion is that it may be just as trappy of water if it does get under (some Chemtex things seem to be adhesive to floor but would imagine that will eventually fail a bit with ballast on top) if used there as a replacement under-ballast lining but it might be handier than cat gravel for drying it out on a temporary basis?

[angelasoldman]

No, what I am saying is what you have found is some of their absorbant pads.

 

They are clever things - white ones pick up oil but not water, and grey ones do the reverse.

 

A previous owner probably pinched them from work !

[Guest]

Ah... that makes the 'dunk a bit in a glass of...' experiment twice as fun. Waste of extra virgin olive oil of course ?

 

I have a blue kind and a charcoal grey kind so who knows what they may/may not do.

[sharpness]

Google Breathable Roofing Membrane. Tyvek is the best known name but there's lots of different brands, and colours!! We used to sell it at work.

[davem399]

The other thing I have seen with a similar weave and thickness is weed suppressing membrane from garden centres, albeit in black, not blue.