E-29 Deep Sump Follow Up.

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maggie-k

Member II
For those of you with a long memory you will recall when I started a thread about filling the deep sump on an E-29 due to the inherent danger of holing the hull threw the aft of the keel.
Unfortunately I had a computer malfunction and lost all of the photos but here are the results.
Material chosen was cement specced for use under water along with acrylic admix. The whole thing took about 40 pounds (dry) of cement mix .
An area was formed for a small sump and base for a bilge pump.
100 pounds of scrap lead was included in the mix in the deepest part on the keel.
After setting for a month the whole thing was capped in Epoxy and mat.

The results were as follows.

Boat has a slower roll period
Boat is stiffer
Can carry more sail ,I reef much later , I can go to wind with more sail and power in stiff winds.
No knock downs which used to be a problem when pushing the boat.
No loss in performance. Still could surf in 15- 20 but control was improved Sailed for 31/2 months in winds to 35 knots in comfort

Now the big kicker . Around Queen Charlotte city I grounded on an uncharted rock. It hit the aft of the keel (just barely)as it is the lowest point .It was on a rising tide so I waited it out and floated off
Dove on the boat when at anchor found about a 3 inch chunk missing of the aft of the Keel, Could see the cement. Repaired with underwater epoxy putty and resumed my trip . It's still there will fix it properly in the spring haul out.

So there it is , If your heading into no-mans land fill that sump unless your feeling lucky. It improved an already great boat
 
M

maggie-k

Member II
Ya the pics are gone .Not a whole lot to see though it is in the deep sump after all. The cement was poured to 3in below the bilge depth so there is still a shallow sump if that helps you imagine what it would look like.
 
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Dave Hussey

Member III
Was there much heat generated by the material as it cured? Did you pour all at once, or in several pours, and what is the name of the material?
 
M

maggie-k

Member II
It was one pour , No there was no noticeable heat as the boat was in the Pacific water in Victoria which is about 52 degrees at best It was not even warm to the touch just as in pouring a concrete sidewalk, There are enough undercuts and nearly parallel walls that the cement will never move . As well and moisture in the bilge was soaked up by the cement . Cement only gets stronger when it sets wet and it dosent hurt it to be wet. It is a common material for balast.
 
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maggie-k

Member II
I got the cement in bulk from a local cement plant they called it RFC cement. When they heard what I was doing they were good enough to supply me with what I needed for $20 , Rather than water acrylic admix was used from home depot
 
Randy Rutledge

Randy Rutledge

Sustaining Member
There is 300 lbs of lead in front of the keel under the sole. They may have left the back hollow to balance the boat.

I think I will just add a floor a few inches down in the hollow with a removable plug to allow for pumping out the lower area. That will eliminate the sinking of the boat if damaged and not change the structure or balance.

Maggie-K
Would you do the fill just for the handling change? I sail in light air very often and do not want to add weight than is not needed.
 
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