What is this? (Wood boat)

[ssteeley]

What is the hairy Wood on my beams in the pictures below? Surveyor did not mention a problem on inspection. Boat is a new to me 1912 wooden salmon troller?
Something to be concerned about? Honestly was to excited about the rest of the boat and the permits to have noticed before purchase. Wood behind hair feels solid.

 

[Gdavid]

Damage due to batteries being overcharged and off gassing in an enclosed space

Edit: I can't find any literature supporting this, seems more likely to be a result of electrolysis breaking down the lignum of the wood. Shouldn't have been missed by the surveyors, but not necessary any more than surface deep

 

[SteveK]

It looks like mold or a fungus. That wood was wet for some period of time

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard.

 

[Jay N]

It's a type of wood rot, but tends to be only on the surface. I had a 1940's wood boat that had a little of this. Remedy was to scrap the excess off, then treat with a preservative (Cupro type).

Many old wood boats have a little this in places, usually caused by air stagnation.

 

[Kaniksu]

I had an old timer tell me it was due to being over-zinced on a boat I once had. Disconnected the bonding system and lightened up on zincs and it stopped. He too said no big deal and that it was easy to stop it and no repair necessary.

 

[ssteeley]

Thank you all for the feedback.
The over zinced comment is interesting. When it was out of the water getting the bottom done and rezinced it seemed like a lot of zincs to me.

Sam

 

[AlaskaProf]

how 'bout some other pix, exterior, engine, etc. Please.

 

[fgarriso]

Welcome Aboard !

Looks like surface mold to me.

 

[Comodave]

If it was over zinc caused would the damage not be around the underwater metal fittings?

 

[Northern Spy]

The word you want to research is delignification. Used to see it in paper mill I worked at, due to exposure to chemicals (NaOH or H2O2).

 

[ssteeley]

The word you want to research is delignification. Used to see it in paper mill I worked at, due to exposure to chemicals (NaOH or H2O2).

That definitely appears to be what it is.
I'm guessing cleaning it up and using penetrating epoxy would be my best bet for repair.

 

[ssteeley]

how 'bout some other pix, exterior, engine, etc. Please.

I've added a bunch of pictures to my album.

Sam

 

[SteveK]

If it was over zinc caused would the damage not be around the underwater metal fittings?

This comment reminded me I was told by an old school boat mechanic not to put a transom zince on the wood hull GB36. Of course I was not listening. However when I was chamging out thru hulls I was informed of wood electrolisis because of it. Had that fixed but still forgot to listen to the old scholl mechanic and left the transon zinc in place cause everyone else has one.

 

[AlaskaProf]

Lovely. Thank you.

 

[Sababa]

Very bold of you to buy a 1912 wooden boat without already having the ability to spot and diagnose this. Most surveyors are, well, this is a family web site ….

 

[ssteeley]

Very bold of you to buy a 1912 wooden boat without already having the ability to spot and diagnose this. Most surveyors are, well, this is a family web site ….

To be fair, the boat was only $1. The permits were/are where the money is at...

Sam

 

[O C Diver]

To be fair, the boat was only $1. The permits were/are where the money is at...

Sam

Sounds like marriage. It’s not the initial investment, but the up keep.

Ted

 

[Sababa]

Sounds like marriage. It’s not the initial investment, but the up keep.

Ted

The German expression for “money pit” is “geschenkt ist noch zu teuer”— “free is still too expensive.” But what do they know?

 

[Sababa]

The German expression for “money pit” is “geschenkt ist noch zu teuer”— “free is still too expensive.” But what do they know?

You are doing a beautiful thing by the way, all respect!

 

[Northern Spy]

The German expression for “money pit” is “geschenkt ist noch zu teuer”— “free is still too expensive.” But what do they know?

I think he means that the value of what he bought was in the crabbing or fishing permit; the boat came with it.

 

[Sababa]

I think he means that the value of what he bought was in the crabbing or fishing permit; the boat came with it.

Didn’t even register. Grew up in Juneau but only went commercial fishing once (enough!) and never really understood how the limited entry permits worked. There were just some families who had them, along with really nice houses. Always thought they were personal, not something that transferred with boats. Is there an explainer somewhere? The top hits on Google are government web sites that seem to pretend that this is a fairly-regulated and -priced public service instead of the rent-seeking inside game that it surely must be. Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[CharlieO.]

Didn’t even register. Grew up in Juneau but only went commercial fishing once (enough!) and never really understood how the limited entry permits worked. There were just some families who had them, along with really nice houses. Always thought they were personal, not something that transferred with boats. Is there an explainer somewhere? The top hits on Google are government web sites that seem to pretend that this is a fairly-regulated and -priced public service instead of the rent-seeking inside game that it surely must be. Inquiring minds want to know!

If you include the boat as a package deal with the permits you are not burdened by trying to sell a 1912 wooden boat separately.

 

[ssteeley]

Didn’t even register. Grew up in Juneau but only went commercial fishing once (enough!) and never really understood how the limited entry permits worked. There were just some families who had them, along with really nice houses. Always thought they were personal, not something that transferred with boats. Is there an explainer somewhere? The top hits on Google are government web sites that seem to pretend that this is a fairly-regulated and -priced public service instead of the rent-seeking inside game that it surely must be. Inquiring minds want to know!

There is no one place to figure it all out. Basically most permits and IFQs can be purchased and that is where the value is held in commercial fishing. When it comes to old wood boats, the Surveyor can value it however he wants, but truly there isn't any value because of the cost to insure and maintain so the true value in a sale is the permits that come with the boat.

Sam