Crud on my bottom

[lestersails]

Hi All
I wonder if anyone can help me with this. I was doing my spring inspection and discovered this crud on my hull. Note that I sail her on the Chesapeake and keep her on a trailer, rigged and splash her each day when I sail. I pulled her last October, but am embarrassed to say that I did not inspect the bottom then. I was actually going under the hull to tighten the swing keel pin bolts and noticed this whitish residue. I went and got a wet rag to see if it would wipe off, but no luck. I have not tried any detergents, solvents or other cleaning products to try to remove it. Also, I do not know what the bottom paint is - it is whatever the boat came with as I purchased her used in Jan 22. [ATTACH][/ATTACH]

[tkeithlu]

Could it, whatever it is, have leaked as a thin liquid from inside your hull? You have some damage (Someone dragged her over a rock?) beside the keel pocket, and it looks like it spread from along the center somewhere. Is there any water-based paint on the inside of the hull? White wash?

At any rate, I think that it is time to go looking for previous owner not-so-obvious damage. Push inward along side the pocket, likewise inside, and see if you find any shattered fiberglass.

[lestersails]

Hi Keith
Thanks for this! I don't think I have any damage, but I will for sure look again more carefully. The pocket is rigid and she is bone dry asea. That beige crud up in the pocket is crustacean growth. It was on a few other spots, which readily scraped off with a plastic scraper. But I see what you mean - it looks like there is an ovoid defect in the hull at the forward end of the stain. My recall is that the hull was entirely smooth and that that is just another part of the stain that makes it look like there is a physical defect, but there is not.
But again, I will look very carefully!

[tkeithlu]

If you determine that it does not represent damage or porosity, then you don't need to determine what it is - it can become one of the many mysteries of the sea. Paint over it and go sailing.

[lestersails]

Love that response! But more seriously, assuming no damage, do I even need to paint it over? Maybe just leave it be?

[JPA Cate]

It sort of looks to me like it is some damage.

The Catalina 22 Sport is a boat with a hull liner. The outside of the hull should not have a groove, or some kind of exudate. So it looks to me sort of like salt water penetrated through and then came out after rainfall, or just from sitting on the trailer. To test this, you could scrape a bit off with a knife and taste if it is salty. Then rinse out mouth, as a precaution.

I'd suggest getting in touch with Catalina, and getting instructions on how to fix it. Maybe add a little better pictures for them. You need to find out where it is safe to cut the liner to get in to do a proper repair, or if it can be addressed satisfactorily as an exterior job.

Good luck with it.

Ann

[lestersails]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

It sort of looks to me like it is some damage.

The Catalina 22 Sport is a boat with a hull liner. The outside of the hull should not have a groove, or some kind of exudate. So it looks to me sort of like salt water penetrated through and then came out after rainfall, or just from sitting on the trailer. To test this, you could scrape a bit off with a knife and taste if it is salty. Then rinse out mouth, as a precaution.

I'd suggest getting in touch with Catalina, and getting instructions on how to fix it. Maybe add a little better pictures for them. You need to find out where it is safe to cut the liner to get in to do a proper repair, or if it can be addressed satisfactorily as an exterior job.

Good luck with it.

Ann

Oh Ann, that is a totally depressing response. I desperately hope you are wrong but will take your (and Keith's) advice. I will also try the C22 owner's group. They may have some thoughts. What I can't figure is why she would be bone dry. But perhaps the aft of the boat is enough higher that it doesn't migrate that far/ there is not that much of it. I can easily remove the two wood panels adjacent to the keel trunk to inspect next time I am on the water.

[Jamme]

I used to own a C22 Sport, and don’t recall seeing anything like that. Have you tried pressure washing first (to figure out if it’s just a stain)? Please report on results. Good luck.

[HeinSdL]

It looks like rainwater run-off to me. The stain seems to start much higher up the hull with water coming from the deck, running down the hull lingering mainly at the lowest point where it both evaporates (leaving the deposit as seen) and drips off (see that very specific spot where there is a drop waiting to fall down). So the stain could therefore be due to solvents in the rainwater itself and/or dust collecting on the boat from nearby industry or just natural dust from the surroundings which then dissolves in rainwater and is the deposited on the hull as shown.

[lestersails]

Originally Posted by HeinSdL

It looks like rainwater run-off to me. The stain seems to start much higher up the hull with water coming from the deck, running down the hull lingering mainly at the lowest point where it both evaporates (leaving the deposit as seen) and drips off (see that very specific spot where there is a drop waiting to fall down). So the stain could therefore be due to solvents in the rainwater itself and/or dust collecting on the boat from nearby industry or just natural dust from the surroundings which then dissolves in rainwater and is the deposited on the hull as shown.

This is what I was wondering as well. The boat is in a yard surrounded by other boats, most on stands, a few on trailers, where people are working on them. I will take my pressure washer today and give it a try! I will also do a closer inspection for any cracks or physical defects per Ann & Keith's posts.

[Bill O]

It looks like some mineral/salt residue that possibly came out of the CB well and the boat wasn't level on the trailer.
Would try some white vinegar on a rag and hold it in spot on the area. If it is a hard mineral deposit, the light acid (vinegar) will soften/remove it.

[sailingharry]

I'll weigh in on the side that says it is likely not a problem. Inspect very closely for any physical damage. Look along the entire length of the stain to try and find a crack or weakness in the fiberglass. And I like Bill's comment to try vinegar. And since you dry sail it, you will have many more opportunities to continuously inspect the area.

One thought that comes to my mind is that old fiberglass (and aren't they all getting old?) will chalk dust and whiteness from the fiberglass on deck. This could wash down and then adhere fairly firmly to the rough/porous bottom paint. I seem to think that the line of whiteness starts at the stern and ends at the center board, but it could go the other direction.

With regard to the comment up thread about painting over it, I don't see a need. As a dry-sailed day sailor, the bottom paint is just a leftover from when a PO would keep it in the water. It provides no value the way you use it. If you have loads of time and money on your hands, you could even chemically strip it or have it soda blasted! See another recent thread about a fellow who removed all the bottom paint on his 31-year-old boat, it looks brand new!

[lestersails]

Originally Posted by Bill O

It looks like some mineral/salt residue that possibly came out of the CB well and the boat wasn't level on the trailer.
Would try some white vinegar on a rag and hold it in spot on the area. If it is a hard mineral deposit, the light acid (vinegar) will soften/remove it.

Thanks, Bill! Sorry to be a dunce, but what is "CB"?

[Shrew]

Here is my guess.

It's a boat that is launched in salt water. After it gets hauled, it gets hosed down with fresh water. That freshwater runs down the side and, due to the surface tension of the water, water hangs on the under side of the hull at the lowest point.

The water beads evaporate and leave the saltwater residue behind. You see the same effect on the underside of SS railings.

[lestersails]

The latter posters were correct! Per Ann and Jtsail I did a careful inspection with high powered reader glasses, a small hammer, and an awl. No cracks, no holes, no soft spots, and the gentle tapping with the hammer absolutely the same sound on both sides of the boat. Then, I put some vinegar on a rag and off it came. Then, also inspired by your posts, I inspected the rest of the boat more carefully and this is what I found:

This was much more noticeable on the side of the boat that had the 'crud' on the bottom than on the other side of the boat. The streaks on the side wiped off very easily with a rag with a bit of vinegar on it. The crud on the bottom rubbed off but with much effort (that stuff absorbed into the bottom coat, I think) but did come off.

Then I noticed the boat next to mine:

Big time!

Got to spend the rest of the day reinstalling the motor, installing my rebuilt Raymarine depth gauge display, and putting on the sails. If that new outboard (used only 2-3 times last season) starts up when I splash her, I am good to go.

Thank you all VERY MUCH. Sage advice, good considerations, covered my bases, and all's well that ends well.