Bilge Rust Issue

[vanburen]

I have a three inch long rust strip in my port bilge water channel. It looks like there is metal embedded and it is rusting. Any ideas on how to resolve this issue?

 

[northern]

If it is a big piece of metal you should be able to tell by placing a magnet on it. If it holds in place you have some iron. If it does not could be iron filings or some one might have used a grinder with a wire wheel and some of the iron on the wheel got embeded into the fiberglass.

 

[tbirdvet]

After cleaning glass or expoxy over it to seal out the moisture.

 

[vanburen]

Thanks for the advice.

 

[fwebster]

Something made from ferrous metal landed there and rusted. The fix is pretty easy but may take a while. Scrub the area with an abrasive cleanser like soft scrub, rinse, let dry, then wet that rust stain with Rustaid (available at Home Depot/Lowes), Whink (rust remover for fabrics available at grocery stores in the laundry soap ar, or use an aggressive cleanser like Ospho or even an acid like a brick cleaner. All those are liquid and can just be sprayed on the stain. I guess you could use FSR but you would need to brush it on and keep it wet.

A word of caution........do not try to use muriatic acid in the bilge. The fumes are dangerous and can overcome you. THe previously mentioned brick cleaner is usually about 15% muriatic acid so it is safer to use but is very aggressive so you need to keep it off of body parts, clothing, and anything in the area that acid will harm.

 

[vanburen]

Thanks Frank. I was worried there was some metallic stringer becoming exposed. Sounds like a non-starter. Amen!