New member in St. Louis, MO

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Wannaboat13
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New member in St. Louis, MO

#1

Post by Wannaboat13 »

Hello AABers. I have lurked on your site for a couple of years now as I have gained knowledge and searched the Internet for a good deal on a metal boat. I have enjoyed reading all of your posts, and I have learned a lot from you.

Well, I finally found my boat--a 2005 20-foot Wooldridge Sport with a walk-through windshield and 115 Merc four stroke on an offshore bracket. I had to travel to Louisiana to get her, but I am thrilled with this boat.

This Wooldridge is my first real boat. My other is a square stern Old Town Sport Boat with a 2.5 h.p. Merc two stroke.

As you already know, Missouri is a long day's drive from any saltwater. We have numerous reservoirs that are popular boating destinations. However, I have always been interested in the big, lonely rivers. I wanted a stout alloy boat to navigate the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, which have their confluence about one-half hour from where I write this. I wanted a northwest-style boat with a full windshield and beefy hull, but was scared away by the prices and the fact that most of them existed about 2000 miles from here. I had pretty much decided on buying a big Oquawka Boats alloy river jon when one became available. Oquawka is known around here to be a super premium custom builder. As such, used Oquawkas don't come up for sale every day. When I found the Wooldridge, I figured it would be perfect for the big rivers and made an offer for it the same day I found it.

I am going to have many questions in the coming months as I customize this boat and make it my own. At this time, I already have the following questions.

1. What aluminum alloy did Wooldridge use in 2005 to make its boats?

2. Is there an easy way to test the bilge pump and its plumbing to make sure that it works?

3. The vinyl graphics on the side of the boat show dock rash here and there. Is there a suitable replacement for the vinyl, such as epoxy or polyurethane paint or Line-X type material?

4. The hull seems to be in beautiful shape. However, there are specs on/in the aluminum that I suspect are corrosion. Should those specs be removed or is it okay to leave them alone? The boat's seller used the boat in salt in both the Pacific Northwest and Louisiana.

5. There are various cleats and such that are affixed to the boat via stainless steel screws. Are such screws safe to use, or will they create a bad reaction with the aluminum?

6. Per the seller, the top speed for the boat with the 2005 115 Merc four stroke is about 30 m.p.h. He took us out in the boat before I bought it, but I don't know how fast we were cruising. Should I expect more than 30 m.p.h. from a 115 four stroke?

7. In Louisiana where I bought the boat, alloy boats are popular and plentiful. Boats expected to last a long time are often referred to as "lifetime" boats. In fact, I believe there is a manufacture in Louisiana that goes by that name. With proper care, are Wooldridge boats "lifetime" boats?

Thank you in advance for your interest.
3f8
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Re: New member in St. Louis, MO

#2

Post by 3f8 »

Welcome to AAB. Pics?
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goatram
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Re: New member in St. Louis, MO

#3

Post by goatram »

Wannaboat13 wrote:Hello AABers. I have lurked on your site for a couple of years now as I have gained knowledge and searched the Internet for a good deal on a metal boat. I have enjoyed reading all of your posts, and I have learned a lot from you. At this time, I already have the following questions.

1. What aluminum alloy did Wooldridge use in 2005 to make its boats? Let Glen answer this

2. Is there an easy way to test the bilge pump and its plumbing to make sure that it works? Put a hose in the boat and turn it on while the boat is on the trailer. (Put the Plug in first) add some soap in it to help clean it up a bit. After you check the pump for operation. Disconnect the Battery and drive around a bit to move and slosh the water. Then Drain.

3. The vinyl graphics on the side of the boat show dock rash here and there. Is there a suitable replacement for the vinyl, such as epoxy or polyurethane paint or Line-X type material? Remove and get your local sign shop make some new ones for you or Buy from the Manufacturer Do your self a favor and strip the pain=t off and polish it up nice. Shark Hide it after to keep it nice

4. The hull seems to be in beautiful shape. However, there are specs on/in the aluminum that I suspect are corrosion. Should those specs be removed or is it okay to leave them alone? The boat's seller used the boat in salt in both the Pacific Northwest and Louisiana. Inside or outside?

5. There are various cleats and such that are affixed to the boat via stainless steel screws. Are such screws safe to use, or will they create a bad reaction with the aluminum? Do you see white around the Fittings? Remove them and clean them up and if no corrosion then reseal them d0own with either 5200 or 4200 sealant not Silicone. if you find corrosion clean the corrosion with Aluminum Brightener/Acid and a SS Brush. Then reinstall with Sealant and SS Bolts. SS is better than Plain Steel and Cheaper than Titanium Bolts.

6. Per the seller, the top speed for the boat with the 2005 115 Merc four stroke is about 30 m.p.h. He took us out in the boat before I bought it, but I don't know how fast we were cruising. Should I expect more than 30 m.p.h. from a 115 four stroke? What is the Top RPM of the Boat Now?
See the Test reports for a 225 HP Merc here http://www.wooldridgeboats.com/uploads/ ... ressed.pdf
Does it have a SS Prop or Aluminum Prop The Motor is the Entry level one. When it goes get a 200HP for more speed. Till then work on getting the right prop and insuraning the motor is set up right on the boat.


7. In Louisiana where I bought the boat, alloy boats are popular and plentiful. Boats expected to last a long time are often referred to as "lifetime" boats. In fact, I believe there is a manufacture in Louisiana that goes by that name. With proper care, are Wooldridge boats "lifetime" boats? No! Cause you will always want a bigger one. It can be and it will last a life time if taken care of and your easily Satisfied

Thank you in advance for your interest.

Welcome and Enjoy your new boat :thumbsup:
John Risser aka goatram
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2015 Ford F350 Dually
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Wannaboat13
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Re: New member in St. Louis, MO

#4

Post by Wannaboat13 »

Thanks a lot for your replies. I intend to post pictures of the boat this weekend.

1. What aluminum alloy did Wooldridge use in 2005 to make its boats? Let Glen answer this. I will do so, thanks.

2. Is there an easy way to test the bilge pump and its plumbing to make sure that it works? Put a hose in the boat and turn it on while the boat is on the trailer. (Put the Plug in first) add some soap in it to help clean it up a bit. After you check the pump for operation. Disconnect the Battery and drive around a bit to move and slosh the water. Then Drain. Thanks, a great idea!

3. The vinyl graphics on the side of the boat show dock rash here and there. Is there a suitable replacement for the vinyl, such as epoxy or polyurethane paint or Line-X type material? Remove and get your local sign shop make some new ones for you or Buy from the Manufacturer Do your self a favor and strip the pain=t off and polish it up nice. Shark Hide it after to keep it nice Will do. Thanks!

4. The hull seems to be in beautiful shape. However, there are specs on/in the aluminum that I suspect are corrosion. Should those specs be removed or is it okay to leave them alone? The boat's seller used the boat in salt in both the Pacific Northwest and Louisiana. Inside or outside? The specs are on the outside of the hull. They have a 3-D feel to them, so I suspect that they might be the beginning of tiny corrosion pits.

5. There are various cleats and such that are affixed to the boat via stainless steel screws. Are such screws safe to use, or will they create a bad reaction with the aluminum? Do you see white around the Fittings? Remove them and clean them up and if no corrosion then reseal them d0own with either 5200 or 4200 sealant not Silicone. if you find corrosion clean the corrosion with Aluminum Brightener/Acid and a SS Brush. Then reinstall with Sealant and SS Bolts. SS is better than Plain Steel and Cheaper than Titanium Bolts. I don't see any white around the fittings. I will remove them and check under them to make sure. If it is present, I will clean as you directed. Thanks!

6. Per the seller, the top speed for the boat with the 2005 115 Merc four stroke is about 30 m.p.h. He took us out in the boat before I bought it, but I don't know how fast we were cruising. Should I expect more than 30 m.p.h. from a 115 four stroke? What is the Top RPM of the Boat Now?
See the Test reports for a 225 HP Merc here http://www.wooldridgeboats.com/uploads/ ... ressed.pdf
Does it have a SS Prop or Aluminum Prop The Motor is the Entry level one. When it goes get a 200HP for more speed. Till then work on getting the right prop and insuraning the motor is set up right on the boat.I believe the tach goes up to 6,000 RPMs. We did not have it anywhere near that high on our test run. The prop is aluminum and supposedly the original one that came with the boat. I would like to get the correct stainless prop for it, but that process sounds very difficult and certainly beyond my knowledge and experience levels at this point. The seller had no maintenance records for the motor. I talked to a local Mercury dealer today. We agreed that they would go through the engine and inspect everything. If all was acceptable, they would change the fluids and possibly the water pump and impeller at the end of the season (along with winterizing the motor). That would establish a maintenance baseline from which I could work in the future. I believe this boat is only rated for a 150 h.p. engine. If that is correct, I have been eyeing the new 150 Mercury four stroke as a possible future repower.

7. In Louisiana where I bought the boat, alloy boats are popular and plentiful. Boats expected to last a long time are often referred to as "lifetime" boats. In fact, I believe there is a manufacture in Louisiana that goes by that name. With proper care, are Wooldridge boats "lifetime" boats? No! Cause you will always want a bigger one. It can be and it will last a life time if taken care of and your easily Satisfied. I intend to take care of it. I am not easily satisfied, so maybe down the road I will want a bigger one. At this point, it seems plenty big, though. Thanks for all your replies!
Chaps
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Re: New member in St. Louis, MO

#5

Post by Chaps »

The specs you are talking about are likely just the aluminum doing what aluminum always does . . . oxidizing. If the hull has any coatings on it (clear, paint or vinyl) it seems to encourage the process. You'll see very little of that on a bare naked welded plate boat. On your fittings held on by ss hardware, especially sheet metal screws, clean the threads and coat them with Tef-Gel before you re-assemble.
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Wannaboat13
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Re: New member in St. Louis, MO

#6

Post by Wannaboat13 »

Chaps wrote:The specs you are talking about are likely just the aluminum doing what aluminum always does . . . oxidizing. If the hull has any coatings on it (clear, paint or vinyl) it seems to encourage the process. You'll see very little of that on a bare naked welded plate boat. On your fittings held on by ss hardware, especially sheet metal screws, clean the threads and coat them with Tef-Gel before you re-assemble.
Thanks for the tip on the Tef-Gel! This is just the kind of help I was hoping for when I made the post.
Wannaboat13
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Re: New member in St. Louis, MO

#7

Post by Wannaboat13 »

Black Beard wrote:"However, there are specs on/in the aluminum that I suspect are corrosion."

Do the specs look like this?:
MS4.JPG
MS3.jpg
Yep. The specs look like those, except maybe not as pronounced. Are they, in fact, corrosion? If so, if left alone, will big problems ultimately result? Thanks for your reply!
Wannaboat13
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Re: New member in St. Louis, MO

#8

Post by Wannaboat13 »

Black Beard wrote:I believe it's mill scale corrosion. You can read about it here:

http://aluminumalloyboats.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4139

PM kmorin, an extremely knowledgeable member on this board, for more info.
That information was very helpful also. It seems counterintuitive to me that making the surface porous by etching would result in better corrosion resistance, but what do I know...? Once the hull has been etched, is that the ideal time to apply SharkHide or a similar product? Thanks in advance.
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Aluminum Oxide

#9

Post by kmorin »

Wannaboat13, almost any aluminum alloy boat, including the rivets canoes and press formed Lunds, will last a lifetime if they are treated well. If you have one of Glen's guys boat, and take care of it, it will last your children's children's lifetimes; but so often we don't treat aluminum too well and it gets corrosion due to our poor or maybe ill-informed treatment.

Aluminum oxide forms on pure elemental (not alloyed) aluminum in three seconds. It may get thicker over time and go from a couple of mills to four or so, but the first film is formed in seconds. Marine alloys are 50 or 60 series alloys (5052, 5086, 5083 and 6061 mainly) and oxides form on them, when cleaned with acid or by mechanical means, in a few seconds- like pure aluminum.

99.99% of all corrosion happens because people don't understand aluminum oxide, and that includes more than 80% of most builders; large or small scale.

The pictures showed mill scale corrosion.

Mill scale is porous aluminum is not.

Mill scale's pores hold water vapor, 'dry' mill scale is 'wet'; if the temp of the metal is below the dew point of the room. Only hot mill scale is dry mill scale- but as the day cools off, water vapor will condensate onto the metal and collect in the thin film on the surface of the metal if this material is not removed.

Water vapor loses oxygen to the aluminum oxide THEN becomes acidic (changes pH due to oxygen imbalance) NEXT the liquid (now acidic) 'retrieves' its missing oxygen molecules from the adjacent oxide and take some metal too. This point is not clearly understood by too many aluminum people.

Next the wet spot dries out UNLESS its covered with mill scale... then the mill scale retain vapor so the process becomes micro scaled and you see 'white flowers'.

Then the spot (dried acid) is wetted, perhaps with some salt to make the electrolyte more conductive? and the cycle repeats.

What to do? get the mill scale off, leave a bare aluminun to the air so it can get all the oxygen is needs to continue to keep an oxide layer intact.

If there are dissimilar metals involved- and they're wetted they form a battery. To stop the battery working; put plastic between them and make sure the site (of contact) can dry out to avoid trapping water and making a slower version of the crevice corrosion/poultice corrosion cell described above.

If you're just getting the boat learn to use Zep-a-Lume or another etching acid, and wash the entire boat, especially inside if the bilges are bare, to insure you have nothing 'eating' the hull- it can happen from leaves blowing in and sitting in pile to compost into acid.

Paint and almost all coverings have to be done pretty well, molecular level bonded to the bare metal by acid etching and careful rinsing and adding the Allodyne while wet the conversion coatings will be on top of aluminum oxide instead of having a chromium oxide film to paint to.

It almost all been reviewed here before, and I'm totally the site fascist regarding mill scale and surface maintenance so you'll have to take my remarks with a bag of salt. :deadhorse:

cheers,
Kevin Morin
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Wannaboat13
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Re: New member in St. Louis, MO

#10

Post by Wannaboat13 »

Hi Kevin,

Thanks for the reply. I really appreciate the advice.

The boat's prior owner did not take the greatest care of it. He stored it uncovered for some years, and allowed it to get pretty dirty. There are rubber and plastic pieces here and there that are dry rotting and cracking. I am replacing each of those.

Last weekend before taking the boat out for our first trip on her, my son and I cleaned it up pretty well. We ran lots of water from the bow to the stern through the bilge. That process washed out a lot of decomposing leaves, cedar needles and other gunk down to the drain. I already decided to try to pull up the floors and get a look under there. I want to make sure that we have all of that junk out and also that there are no pieces of dissimilar metal under the floors, such as stray steel washers, fishing weights, or other parts. I strongly suspect that there is lots more of the vegetation debris that is trapped by internal structures and never washed free.

The lower hull has no paint, only the vinyl graphics that Wooldridge applies to the upper 1/3 or so. There are rips and scrapes in the vinyl, and I have been considering removing it. The interior of the boat is painted. I believe it is Zolatone (black, white, and gray spatter-looking paint). The paint seems pretty tough--almost like an automotive paint.

If I decide to go the route of chemically etching the boat, should I do the following?

1. Etch the bilge and all of the reinforcing structures that Wooldridge builds into the bottom of the boat?

2. I like the Zolatone paint on the interior. Is its presence good or bad for prevention of corrosion?

3. What about Sharkhide...once the boat has been etched, should it be covered in Sharkhide? Another such coating? Or left bare?

4. The walking surfaces around the gunnels are covered in a non-slip, stick-down product. From the looks of them, they appear to be factory applied. Should they stay or go?

Thanks in advance for your time and efforts.
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