weeping wood!!

[gary3029]

I have a finesse and the problem I have maybe nothing or a problem in the future. I am very lucky in that I have a wooden boat with dusty bilges...no water what so ever in the boat, unless I spill it or the cover leaks. Not sure of the technical name but I have a very large iroko beam along the centre of the boat which the iron keel is attached to. From the beam I have an area about the size of my small finger nail which is weeping seawater. The amount it weeps is minimal soaks into a small rag i put there. Now my query is should I be concerned. Is this highlighting problems to come and does iroko rot in salt water?

 

[Mirelle]

Is there by any chance an iron bolt in the vicinity of the weep?

Iroko does not rot in sea water (very few woods do, and iroko is very durable) but it is distinctly possible that you may have an iron fastening in the area.

For what its worth, I usually dust the bilges on my 69 year old boat (teak on oak, Whisstocks) also.

 

[Porthandbuoy]

Does scooping sawdust slurry out of the bilges count as "dusting"?

 

[keelbolts]

Show offs!

 

[gary3029]

No Keel bolts in that area. it is at the side of the lifting keel centre box.

 

[burgundyben]

Couldn't have put it better myself.

 

[santeana]

Sounds quite a puzzle. You say, Gary, it's on the side of the keel centre box. Is it permanently below the water line? Is there a chance something could have worn and thinned the box from the inside? Is the wood at the 'spot' showing any signs of distress? Although the patch is finger nail size check to see if it's weeping over the area, or maybe a tiny crack or maybe a pinpoint - it could help isolate the cause. BTW I was told the keel was attached to the hog..."them bones them bones them.. dry bones".