[Rhodes22-list] Lost ballast

[Lou Rosenberg]

>  Graham,

   I figured you had to use the syringe.  I will be attaching a small 
plastic hose to a syringe to inject the epoxy tie layer into the 
middle of my CB trunk.  Its gonna be a gooey job:)
  Lou

>Lou:
>
>Thanks for the description of the ballast. That is very helpful. I am
>persuaded to leave it alone. Actually it was the opposite that I would have
>needed persuasion to undertake.
>By the way, I did use a syringe to inject the epoxy. That is really amazing
>stuff.
>
>Good luck with your project.
>
>________________________________________________________
>
>_________________________________________________
>
>Graham Stewart
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
>[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Lou Rosenberg
>Sent: May 11, 2005 10:39 AM
>To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
>Subject: RE: [Rhodes22-list] Lost ballast
>
>
>   Graham,
>     If you have repaired the crack effectively, I would not tamper
>with the centerboard housing (trunk).   Its really almost impossible
>to get tools into the trunk even when its ripped open like mine is
>now.   I would have attempted the same repair you did but use a
>syringe to inject the epoxy into a few holes around the crack as well.
>   I am sure you still have ballast. The bars of lead I can see are
>measuring about 3"Lx1.5"W and are embedded into the cement which is
>your top layer of ballast around the bottom of the hull and extending
>into the shoal keel.
>   Its almost impossible for me to get my digital cam under the boat
>and aim it at this material.  I only have a mini dv camera right now
>that can focus that close.
>    In a perfect world It would have been nice to get the boat up on
>stands , but my marina would then charge me extra for the trailer and
>I really could not afford it.
>good luck
>   Lou
>
>
>>   Lou:
>>I can't see your email address so I am responding through the Rhodes 22
>>list.
>>
>>It was a few years back that I made the repair. I don't recall seeing
>>any cement-like material. The crack could have been there for years as
>>I bought it used a year or so before I found the crack.
>>
>>There were two cracks actually. Hey ran almost he full length of the
>>keel near the inside edge. The crack would have been as much as 1/8th
>>inch. If the ballast was loose stuff, I suspect a good portion was
>>washed out before I discovered the crack. If it is solid, I probably
>>have most o it.
>>
>>I used West System with colloidal filler to make up the patch material
>>- the consistency only marginally thicker than the resin alone. It had
>>to be thin to run down inside the keel. The hole I drilled were about 2
>>to 3 inched up the inside walls of the housing. I am doubtful that this
>>mixture would make a strong path when it was applied without any
>>Fiberglas cloth but it was the best fix I could think of at the time. I
>>should have checked it this year before launch but I was so excited to
>>get it launched I overlooked that somewhat important potential problem.
>>
>>The fact that the resin ran down so easily to the crack suggests to me
>>that there wasn't much in the way of ballast to restrict the movement.
>>Later it occurred to me that I might have been better to leave the
>>crack as at least that way I would acquire some water ballast rather
>>than seal in  an air bubble - generally considered to be poor ballast.
>>
>>If you or anyone else can tell me what was used for ballast in 1975 I
>>would appreciate it.
>>
>>The other option I have considered to compensate for the lost ballast
>>would be to place some steel or lead bars by the centerboard housing
>>under the floor boards.
>>
>>My sense is that the boat is somewhat tender but I really don't know
>>how it should feel without the ballast problem.
>>
>>Thanks for your suggestions and good luck with your repair
>  >
>>Graham.
>>
>>
>>________________________________________________________
>>
>>_________________________________________________
>>
>>Graham Stewart
>>mailto:gstewart8 at cogeco.ca
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>  >From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
>>[mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Lou Rosenberg
>>Sent: May 9, 2005 10:40 AM
>>To: The Rhodes 22 mail list
>>Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Lost ballast
>>
>>
>>    Graham,
>>     I am currently in the process of rebuilding the inside of my CB
>>trunk.  I have a '81 R22 and have opened up the inside walls of my
>>trunk to view where the cement ends and the lead ballast begins. There
>>is more lead in there than a few flakes I am sure of that.
>>     In response to drilling holes inside of the trunk:  I would first
>>scape away any loose material with a wire brush, if the bottom edge of
>>your keel is not smooth I would defer to the WEST SYSTEM books on using
>>their epoxies to mend the bottom of the keel and any damage inside your 
>>CB trunk.
>>    I' m working with my boat still on the trailer and have to wedge
>>myself underneath the keel to manipulate a dremel tool with a flex
>>drive attachment using a diamond circular blade to remove the laminate. 
>>Use a mask and goggles always!!
>>    Qs: which way was the crack running ?  How deep was the crack?  Was
>>the crack INSIDE of CB trunk ?
>>    feel free to email me off the list if you want.  I am located in
>>Brooklyn , NYC.
>>    good luck
>>    Lou
>>
>>    for others: I hope to post my latest pics of the inside of the trunk
>>showing the cement. later today or tomorrow.
>>    unfortunately, I don't own a lipstick camera that can snake down the
>>slot and give me wide angle views of the ballast.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>>I had a problem losing ballast through the bottom of the keel of my
>>>1975 Rhodes 22 and wonder if others have had the same problem.
>>>
>>>A few years back I got right down under the keel and noticed that a
>>>crack had formed on both sides of the keel centerboard housing. On
>>>closer inspection I noticed that flakes of metal were lodged in the
>>>crack and later concluded that the flakes were actually lead. I
>>>appears that the ballast was made, at least in part, from small lead
>>>flakes.
>>>
>>>I seemed to fix the cracks by removing the centre board and then
>>>drilling a series of holes into the the keel on the inside of the
>>>centerboard housing. I then injected a runny epoxy paste into the
>>>poles. The epoxy then drained down inside the housing and out the
>>>crack in the bottom. I then just kept scraping the epoxy and pushing
>>>it back up into the crack until it thickened enough to stay there. It
>>>was a terribly messy job as I had to lie directly under the crack and
>>>ended up with epoxy everywhere on my body and in my hair. It seemed to
>>>work though as the crack has not reappeared. Still I worry that this
>>>might be an inadequate repair. My other concern is that I have no idea
>>>how much ballast I lost.
>>>
>>>I am wondering if anyone else has had this problem and, if so, how was
>>>it repaired?
>>>
>>>I wonder what I would find if I were to try to get inside the housing
>>>by cutting holes in the hull from inside the cabin into the housing.
>>>Would I find loose ballast that might be removed to repair the bottom
>>>of the housing with fibreglass tape? Would I be able to add ballast or
>>>would I just cut into a solid mass of ballast and cured resin?
>>>
>>>Thanks in advance for any advice.
>>>
>>>Graham ________________________________________________________
>>>Graham Stewart
>>>mailto:gstewart8 at cogeco.ca
>>>
>>>
>>>__________________________________________________
>>>Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>>
>>__________________________________________________
>>Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>>
>>__________________________________________________
>>Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>
>__________________________________________________
>Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list
>
>__________________________________________________
>Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list