Steel Boat Renovation - There's a Hole in my Bucket

The majority of damage aboard Blue Steel, our Van Der Valk Vitesse 48, has been caused by water ingress for the many corrosion holes that have been left neglected. This video gives some insight into how we have started sealing the holes to get the bilges dry.

[@stevejohnstonbaugh9171]

Good thinking - dry it up as top priority. Several water damage remediation related suggestions; 1) Get a high performance dehumidifier (or several) that will pump the condensate into a sink. Set them for 50% relative humidity and let them run. Dry out everything you can before you start tearing the interior out. There may be salvageable finishes if you take some care. 2) place several air moving fans throughout the boat, just to circulate air. 3) Buy and ozone generator. Put is on a timer and run it 24/7 when you are not in residence. The fans will blow it around. Turn it off a day before your next arrival so it will clear. 4) Buy several UV lights to spot throughout the interior. Another attack on mold spores. The air circulating fans will make the most of them. 5) Dilute household bleach - the best remediation to kill existing mold. Dilute sodium hypochlorite in a spray bottle works wonders. You will have to determine the appropriate dilution ratio. A starting point is 10 to 1. Be mindful of finished surfaces. A quick spra, rinse and dry is usually adequate. But in concealed areas - spray it down, let it soak and dry of its own accord. If you are using a lot in a closed space, be mindful of fumes and close the space off after a thorough spray down. 6) I would start in the owners cabin because your first priority is to stop the deterioration - and apparently that is the worst space? Best of luck mate! 😊👍

[@SavingBlueSteel]

Thanks for the great advice - it's much appreciated.

[@J1mbo888]

Very Brave to take on a project of this magnitude. Looking forward to seeing the progress. Top Effort peeps 🙂

[@SavingBlueSteel]

And a touch crazy too 😄

[@J1mbo888]

@@SavingBlueSteel Crazy always helps with Boat Projects. I should know, My Dad had a few ! 🤣

[@Lifesgood427]

Looking forward to seeing your progress, thanks for sharing😊

[@SavingBlueSteel]

Thanks for watching!

[@juliedouglas2888]

Great job guys, very best of luck.

[@SavingBlueSteel]

Thank you.

[@StephenPenney-e5x]

Anytime you need an excuse for ……errant vacuum cleaners give me a call. I’m good at arse protecting from the donkey driver…..she who must be obeyed. Save up genuine excuses for the really bad news. Excellent video, thank you. It’s a huge project, good to hear you’re doing an ultrasound. Big boat for cheap fixes. Good you’ve got it dry, makes any work even in the rain a bit more comfortable. Good luck.

[@SavingBlueSteel]

Thank you, and thanks for watching 👍

[@hrcsourcingltd7858]

I can so relate to this exact video , my bikes are just sitting, my van is full of boat repair bits and pieces .. we’ve been on a year long refit of our wide beam canal boat..jeez food bags, clothes, beer and gin and tonic..

[@SavingBlueSteel]

Haha - yes indeed. 👍

[@johndavies7692]

In the dry dock next door to you is the ship repairers. They are used to sand blasting tankers and tugs back to the metal. They’ll have your project back to the metal in an afternoon. Don’t be too hard on the previous owner, the husband died and the boat just sat in the marina for a year or so before it started sinking in the marina. They then pulled it out to save it.

[@SavingBlueSteel]

Hi John - the previous owner was a gentleman from London who bought her when she was in probate and already ashore. He wasn’t the original owner who died. The Hull has already been shot blasted and painted with a temporary paint that’s past its best. We’re likely to wire wheel this and use an epoxy primer but I’m not 100% committed to this plan yet. We’re not sure what to do with the top sides, but will likely sand and top coat the existing paint. 🤞

[@terry4265]

Amazing you two have taken on such a project but it is encouraging to see. I have a plan of a Future RV Remodel . So this makes it seem easy compared. Ha I'll be watching. :)

[@janw8964]

Finally some nice channel again about a steel boat restauration. Thanks for taking us along! I agree that you should get it dry first before grinding and welding especially as the boat is all outside during winter. What is the condition of the engines? Hope they are not too far from running. Greetings from Germany

[@maceyevo]

Looking forward to it

[@SavingBlueSteel]

Thank you 🙏

[@kevinmartin3859]

I wish you good luck 😊😊

[@edwardvisser6351]

Well fix it..dear owner, dear owner, dear owner..

[@SavingBlueSteel]

We will dear Liza

[@rasmAn2]

quite some of these holes look like galvanic corrosion left far, far to long. Stainless can be welded to mild steel, but it should be absolutely should be painted a good ways up the stainless. if any bare mild steel exists within about 10cm of bare stainless (or any other more noble metals for that matter), it'll get eaten with a mm/month in fresh water, even worse in salt. If you design something in my neck of the woods that has a metallic contact with a potential difference of more than 15mV, you better have a damn good reason and plan to seal it up tighter than a high tom, or prepare yourself for a trip behind the shed.

[@SavingBlueSteel]

Yes indeed - that definitely seems to be what's happened. We've got a plan to try to isolate the stainless rails from the steel hull. I'll expand more on that in a later video. Thanks for your input - it's very useful.

[@svwhippoorwill3599]

I could use a hand or several hands to assist in my restoration of a steel schooner. I'm in South Florida if interested.😎

[@SavingBlueSteel]

Don't tempt us, we've got a winter here to look forward to.

[@svwhippoorwill3599]

@@SavingBlueSteel c'mon over and stay warm.

[@richardgabel33]

Geeez stop the talking and do some work. I do not agree with your method of working. Clean a room or two and strip them bare. Once stripped, sanitize them. Now you can sleep there safely. I hope you have done this sort of thing in your past as this is a major project. I have now watched two of your videos and no work has been done except general cleaning. I wish you luck but at this pace you won’t live long enough to enjoy a completed boat. This is much better without that crappy music all the time.

[@kermitlafrog2496]

atta boy

[@jamesbarber4910]

Are the engines any good?

[@BrentonEllard]

When are we getting a decent tour with commentary telling us were u are (no music) of the boat? Engine room, generators, battery systems, helms etc. Nice to see it clean but if u need to rewire, weld etc u will need to tear it out so there is not much point in getting it sparkly. We dont care about curtains or pretty stuff. I would suggest u first remove anything on the boat that u dont need (cushions, mattresses) as well as stripping out anything that needs replacing. Its a boat, u will have no space and be moving shit in your way all the time.

[@MrCrabbing]

How did it go with the Whelks?

[@SavingBlueSteel]

They were fantastic. I couldn't stop eating them.

[@istvantoth3091]

It needs to sandblasted

[@hughroney6342]

thought might be an interesting project to watch, but seems all it is, is talk!! good luck

[@billymiller1319]

I was just getting interested when you blasphemed. So i unsubsc.ribed