Rust Bucket

[GalaxyGirl]

We went to Gloucester today to check out steel fishing boats. I was a little surprised by the extensive rust. Is this just the way it is with commercial fishing boats? Why do steel pleasure boat owners seem concerned with keeping rust at bay, yet fisherman allow severe rust?

[psneeld]

Really? Ever see a guy out washing and waxing his caterpillar bulldozer right after his beamer?

Seriously...working boats get abused...they couldn't make money if every time they got scratched they stopped fishing and painted...however...there are some beautiful examples of working boats with rightfully proud crews....but even they are hardly totally rust free all year long.

[beachbum29]

Originally Posted by psneeld

Really? Ever see a guy out washing and waxing his caterpillar bulldozer right after his beamer?

Seriously...working boats get abused...they couldn't make money if every time they got scratched they stopped fishing and painted...however...there are some beautiful examples of working boats but are hardly totally rust free all year long.

Amen.

[C lectric]

A fishing boat is a tool, not a plaything like a yacht. I look after my tools but they also show the signs of years of use, not abuse.

In the case of a fishing boat the seawater is not the least bit kind towards breaks in the coatings.

Most of the steel fishing boats I see get extensive maintenance including replacement of plating and repainting as and when neccesary for safety, seakeeping, and long life. But when they are working they are working. That's assuming they can find enough fish to pay the bills which is getting harder and harder.

[FF]

The conversion of an old fish boat looks simple but will cost more than 2 or 3 ocean ready boats if you have to hire the help for a conversion.

Massive hours with usually very poor results.

[RickB]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

I was a little surprised by the extensive rust.

Usually it looks worse than it really is. As steel corrodees, the rust it forms expands about 4 times in volume so it quickly looks really awful. Water washes the loose stuff off and creates the stains below the rusting area and that makes it look even worse.

As others have mentioned, it is a full time job just keeping the surface rust off a working boat where the paint is constantly damaged through use.

A working ship like a freighter or tanker has a deck gang that spends all day working like gardeners to keep rust at bay repair paint probems. They use tools that look like and are called "lawnmowers" that strip paint and rust from large areas of deck so they can be reprimed and painted. It is kind of like the painting on Golden Gate, it never stops.

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by FF

The conversion of an old fish boat looks simple but will cost more than 2 or 3 ocean ready boats if you have to hire the help for a conversion.

Massive hours with usually very poor results.

I would never consider doing a conversion. I don't know (yet) how boats work, so it would be a very stupid move.

I just wanted to get a real life look at the rust issue on steel.

[GalaxyGirl]

I see what you guys are saying. It must be hard for them to keep up with it, especially now in light of the restrictions on catch. Some probably can't even make a living.
The rust looked pretty bad (to me) on some of these boats. But there were others that were in excellent condition. Maybe because those boats were smaller and easier to stay on top of.

[Chrisjs]

You should see some of the fishing boats in Newport. Some are more rust than steel!! You are simply looking at the hard business economic calculation - money in vs money out!!
But your steel trawler could look just as bad unless it is taken care of! In the RN, we painted everything every week (or so it seemed!!)

[psneeld]

Originally Posted by GalaxyGirl

I see what you guys are saying. It must be hard for them to keep up with it, especially now in light of the restrictions on catch. Some probably can't even make a living.
The rust looked pretty bad (to me) on some of these boats. But there were others that were in excellent condition. Maybe because those boats were smaller and easier to stay on top of.

or they were aluminum or glass or glass covered wood or wood.....or a combination....

[Phil Fill]

Its not the exterior rust but the interior rust that you can not see is more of a concern. If the out side is rusty, you can be sure the interior has rust. The whole interior has to be removed so it can be sand blasted, primed/prep and then new interior install. The steel preparations, welding, priming and paint/costing are different between commercial and pleasure. However, the pleasure still has to be taken care off and protected. We manufacture stuff made out of steel, most is industrial/commercial grade but some is interior/look pretty/last long.

Even if the boat is aluminum, fiberglass and/or wood there is a difference between commercial and pleasure. Commercial is more functional and the pleasure is more visual appealing. A commercial will be heavier more durable, where as pleasure is light and more eye appealing. If you get the time to get up close an personal with both commercial and pleasure you probable will notice the difference. Many of the larger long range pleasrue are more commerical then pleasure as far as how mfg and the running gear.

In the PNW the commercial fishing fleet has certain has take it toll, the number of boat about half and most of the boat remaining are not keep in the best of shape and barely making it by. Many are leaving their boats where they fish as its not worth make the trip to and from each year. Because of the reduction we were the first sort of pleasure on the commercial dock as the Eagle is sort is and looks commercial. Now 50% of the commercial docks are pleasure.

I would not buy a boat used commercially not matter what it is made off. However, there are pleasure boat that are built by commercial yards that I might buy. So just because of boat is steel, does not mean it’s a rust bucket. Many of the meg yachts, 100+ ft, are steel with aluminum/composite supper. I saddvise newbie to walk the commcial docks and yards as will as the pleasrue so they know and see the difference.

[LWW]

Just because there's a little rust on he outside doesn't mean it's inside. Looks can be deceiving.Larry

[skipperdude]

Just paint it a rust color.

sd

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by Chrisjs

In the RN, we painted everything every week (or so it seemed!!)

sorry, what's the RN?

Painting every week is way more than I want to do, for sure.

[Nsail]

Pretty sure it's Royal Navy. Sounds a lot like the USN as well.

[FF]

"Painting every week is way more than I want to do, for sure."

Especially as its 5 to 7 coats of paint in order at the correct dry interval if you wish to have protection.

Shmeering on a top coat is fine for the navy's of the world after every docking , as they get proper painting eventually.

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by FF

"Painting every week is way more than I want to do, for sure."

Especially as its 5 to 7 coats of paint in order at the correct dry interval if you wish to have protection.

Shmeering on a top coat is fine for the navy's of the world after every docking , as they get proper painting eventually.

Oh geez, I see why everyone says steel can be a headache.

[FF]

I see why everyone says steel can be a headache. __________________

The folks that talk about the steel boat are correct, but haven't given you all the info.

To properly maintain a steel boat the entire interior , wiring , pipes all of it down to the bare hull must be stripped, sandblasted to "water white" and painted 5-7 coats of paint.

In the old days it was every decade , today steel boat lovers claim epoxy solves all the worlds problems and maint is no longer the issue.

In God (and epoxy ) they trust.

In the 60's a strip sand blast and paint (you supply the paint , they barely had the sand) in a Polish yard was about $5000 for a 50 ft motor sailor.

Adjust for inflation , an the fact there no longer a Soviet Slave State and it gets expensive almost anywhere in the world ..

GRP is the answer PERIOD , what boat you chose is up to you but solid GRP is the choice .

[Shoalwaters]

Originally Posted by FF

.................. GRP is the answer PERIOD , what boat you chose is up to you but solid GRP is the choice .

I don't always agree with FF, but he's dead on with this one!

[GalaxyGirl]

Originally Posted by FF

I see why everyone says steel can be a headache. __________________

The folks that talk about the steel boat are correct, but haven't given you all the info.

To properly maintain a steel boat the entire interior , wiring , pipes all of it down to the bare hull must be stripped, sandblasted to "water white" and painted 5-7 coats of paint.

In the old days it was every decade , today steel boat lovers claim epoxy solves all the worlds problems and maint is no longer the issue.

In God (and epoxy ) they trust.

In the 60's a strip sand blast and paint (you supply the paint , they barely had the sand) in a Polish yard was about $5000 for a 50 ft motor sailor.

Adjust for inflation , an the fact there no longer a Soviet Slave State and it gets expensive almost anywhere in the world ..

GRP is the answer PERIOD , what boat you chose is up to you but solid GRP is the choice .

I'm sorry, I don't know what GRP is? Fiberglass?