Iron mess under our nav station

[William Ennis]

Hello,

We are dealing with the common Passport issue of mild steel trash (it looks like the punching from producing flat washers) that has been used as ballast under the nav station. Our 1984 Passport, hull 78, has an aft-facing nav station on starboard side. The sole under the nav desk has bowed upward and the stringer on that side has bowed inward.

We are contemplating using a Fein saw to remove the rectangle of sole wood just under that nav desk and out to the edge of the flooring, and removing the iron through that.

Assuming that this access will allow the offending material to be removed, what have people done to replace the floor? How is it braced again from below? How did you fill the kerf?

How much material is usually there? Hundreds of pounds? Did you replace it with lead? I'm unclear on how we'll know how much to replace.

How far forward did they place the iron debris? I see that it's at least halfway into the starboard water tank flooring. How was that handled? There are 4 inches of flooring between the edge of the starboard settee and the edge of the flooring. Did people remove that to access the space under that starboard tank?

We appreciate the help. Thank you.

William Ennis
Wings

[Marty McOmber]

Hi William

Been there and did that on our 1985 P40. Same configuration with the nav desk.

I used a Fein to carefully cut out the sole using the holly as the edge.

Get a compressor and air hammer to remove the punchings. Nothing else will work. Also make sure to use plastic sheeting to isolate the work area from the rest of the boat. It will create a lot of dust.

There was a cross beam on the forward side of the area just below where the water tank starts. I assume there is another selection of trim ballast there as well. It it hasn't been a problem for me.

I also decided to replace the 157 pounds of ballast that I hammered out of there. I fiberglassed some lead into the area. In hindsight I might have skipped that.

I reattached the sole adding a cleat along the outside edge. If you are looking for storage space you might consider just making that a hatch you can open. That what I would do if I had a do over (not that I am hoping for one).

Here are some pics of the project:

[Don Fife]

But wait, there is more! Two sections forward. And one more aft at the foot of the quarter berth. Good luck. I did not replace the weight removed. Water ballast can balance the boat if you want.

Bugler H-25

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[Bill Schmidt]

Wind Witch is entering DEEP surgery on 7/24 for exactly the same problem
with exactly the same findings. The problem is iron punch castings
embedded in epoxy slurry which has rusted and expanded. The reported
weight on construction was 480 lbs, I believe. Stay tuned . Surgery will
require removal of the starboard settee and water tank. May require
cabin sole removal/repair. More woes later. Stay tuned.

Billy Manana