Concrete & Lead/Funny Story

[EmergencyExit]

Had always heard that 79 C26's had ballast made from concrete and lead pellets, while earlier models had foam and lead bars.

Began tearing up the sole of EE today in the area between the steps and the keelhead, and found that under the ply it is bilge (connecting to the area under the rear berth) up to just behind the winch.

At that point I ran into a plywood bulkhead. Chipping up some sole in front of that revealed poured concrete and lead pellets an inch below the sole. So concrete and pellets it be !

Also along the sides of the keel pocket in that bilge area is a ply bulkhead leading me to think that there is a narrow pour of concrete poured on either side of the pocket.

Upshot was that my sole was wet/delam'd on the underside over the bilge area, and there was an 1/8" of water on top of the concrete pour as well since the rear former for the concrete pour did not go all the way up to the sole, allowing water flow over and to seep under the forward sole area.

Plan to glass the underside of the new sole to prevent it from happening again.(hopefully)

PS ----the reason I started on the sole was I was running water into the bilge area under the rear berth when I noticed it coming up thru the sole.

AND WHY WAS I DOING THAT you ask ? Because I was flushing it out - Because a runaway kid in the neighborhood had climbed aboard her, apparently spent a few nights on her while I was away and URINATED in the rear bilge. I guess he didn't see the FREAKING HEAD. Yeah, it was real interesting when I went aboard to do some weekend work, almost gagged from the smell and noticed some strange clothing and blankets in my newly redone V-Berth. Backed out carefully, called the local police and we went back together not knowing who or what was on board, but he had already split at some point. Dang pirate kid boarded me ! <LOL>
Yes, in my small quiet southern town of 1500, in the side yard outside my fenced area - yes, she is always locked now !

[slane1124]

Aren't stowaways kept for servitude until their debt is paid??!!