Topic starter
11/10/2006 11:09 pm
Anyone out there familiar with the process of "sawdusting" a wooden hull? I was reading an old article by Bud Daily where he mentions that they had to sawdust the leaking hull of the gasboat EDNA.
My first thought was that you somehow get sawdust in the water around the hull where it would be sucked into the cracks that are leaking, or apply it by hand directly to the cracks by diving. I know that when we get lots of fine debris in the water, the small leaks in my old steel deck barge stop leaking.
Not sure if it would work from the inside of the hull, but my other guess was that they forced saw dust into the cracks where the old oakum caulking is (fon the inside of the hull), and the sawdust gets wet and expands and slows the leaks(?)
This seems like a topic that I haven't seen on the board... Just curious!
12/10/2006 1:16 pm
Hi, Steve:
Interesting topic on 'sawdusting' of hulls and I bet Alan Bates could enlighten us in a jiffy. May not be 'pure steamboats' but research on my part in old wood hulled sailing ships on the high seas going way back mentions this technique to seal leaks. Back then the ship's carpenter was one of the highest rated men in the ranks due to his much needed skills. Another was the canvas master for work on sails. If a leak did develope--which was common--not only would saw dust be worked in the seams but also a supply of cotton batting, old canvas scraps and rags along with wood shims that could be driven in.
What did they do if the leak was well below the water line? If the vessel could be moored in a harbor with a high/low tide level they'd wait for low tide to careen the vessel over for access to the below water leaks. If at sea an expanse of spare or old sail cloth would be dropped over the side and allowed to suck in against the hull with the hope it would plug the leaking spots.
Alan Bates posted some time back about 'salting the hulls' but that's another story. Heck, what do I know? Did you receive my photo of the gas boat EDNA next to a classic wood barge? Interesting if you could attach it to your posting.
Cheers,
R. Dale Flick
Topic starter
12/10/2006 4:24 pm
Here is the photo of the gasboat EDNA. The photo is courtesy of Dale Flick's collection, and was taken in the Steubenville area in January 1942 by the late Bud Daily (who later bought the boat in 1967). The EDNA was built in 1934.
For a larger copy of this photo, and more info on the EDNA, please buy a copy of our new 2007 calendar! Our past 5 calendars have been 99% steamboats. The 2007 calendar features gas & diesel sternwheel towboats.
The calendar will be available starting Monday (10/16/06), and as usual, all proceeds go into our non-profit organization for maintenance of the BARBARA H. I will be posting more details and thumbnail images from the calendar next week.
Please contact me directly for calendar orders at: [email protected]
12/10/2006 7:21 pm
Hi, Steve:
Glad the photo of the ENDA came though and it could be attached to your posting. Capt. Bill Judd and I both looked with keen eyes at this photo when it appeared in my 'dusty boxes' a year or so ago. Yes, the barge we see next to the EDNA is indeed of wood construction. The only surviving wood barges I ever saw as a kid were wrecked and rotting ones on the bank at old Coal Haven Landing here in Cincinnati's East End. Incidentally, construction of new condos and recreation parks along Eastern Avenue from St. Rose Church on down to Rookwood Crossing saw a number of metal detection club/urban archaeologist people out scanning for metal materials dating back to the old shipyards that used to dot the banks. A few told me of treasures they found while others just clam up. Fill dirt is being hauled in over the old locations and now nearly all is buried under tons to raise the foundation levels to the street or higher. What did some find? Relics of Civil War gunboats, steamboats, tools, rare coins dating to 1850s.
Congratulations on the new 'Gass Boat' calendar for 2007. Can't wait to see it and highly suggest it to the rest of the web family.
Cheers,
R. Dale Flick
12/10/2006 11:32 pm
Fellows, I do not know a thing about 'sawdusting' a hull. I worked on one wooden-hulled steamer, the Kongo. It leaked constantly - just a fact of life that we accepted. Doc Hawley stopped the flow of flooding between compartments on the Natchez using a mattress one time. I helped plug a hole in the side of the Belle of Louisville's hull one day using lumber and rags. I've driven shingles into cracks to swell and seal them and I've puddled quick-crete over a hole once. We moved a houseboat one time by hanging a tarp over the forward rake to slow the leaks. But no sawdust. I would not know how to get it into the seams.