Dry My Hull

[brodie123]

I didn't know where else to post this.

The wood in my hull got 'soaked' over the winter. It's a 19' (with a merc).

It's now stored in a garage with the bow cranked up. Any suggestions on how to best dry her out?

 

[JB]

Re: Dry My Hull

That is a boat, not an outboard engine.

Let's move this to Boat Topics.

 

[External Combustion]

Re: Dry My Hull

Scatter rock salt all around the areas that are damp. This will allow the salt to be sucked into the pores of the wood and kill any dry rot fungus that may be there. Put a fan on the hull and let the moving air dry things out. Don't get in a hurry as if it dries out too quickly the wood will likely warp. You will have a few weeks to get a completely dry hull. When it is, sand and repaint or revarnish. Keep it out of the sun while she is drying too.

Good luck. Personally, I like wooden hulls.

 

[getinmerry]

Re: Dry My Hull

Scatter rock salt all around the areas that are damp. This will allow the salt to be sucked into the pores of the wood and kill any dry rot fungus that may be there. QUOTE]

I understand the science behind this, but isn't adding salt to anything containing metal a bad idea? What about desicant? there are a number of drying agents available that would be much less destructive to metal components within the boat. Just curious.

Chuck

 

[External Combustion]

Re: Dry My Hull

Common salt is hard on plain iron fasteners, but less destructive to the hull than dry rot. Most all other presevatives that I am familiar with are corrosive also. I know of many boats that were put together with common boat nails and after fifty years of salt used as a preservative, they are still sound.

Galvanized fasteners, silicon bronze or stainless steel fasteners are better of course. There are just over 11,600 SS ring shank nails in my launch hull, but who is counting? I never wanted to refasten the planks and the nails have shown no corrosion at all. The hanger bolts that hold down part of the propulsion gear are common steel. There is some corrosion on these, but not even close enough to worry after 8 years.

Remember that if you keep the wood dry, the corrosion will be kept at a snails pace.