BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

[Traveler 45C]

BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

A dock mate who has worked on the rigs told me that oil has the ability to soak into the fiberglass and break it down and any gaskets/seals made from petroleum will turn to mush. Is that true?

Should our boats be hauled or can they be safely left in the water?

What exactly are the risks to our boats?

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

We have fiberglass tanks with fuel oil in them. I can't imagine raw crude would do a thing to the fiberglass. In fact, it can't even get to the glass unless it penetrates through the Imron or bottom paint and then through the gel coat.

I wouldn't be too concerned.

 

[Genesis]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

It'll trash the paint if it gets on it and sits long enough. "Long enough" might not be very long either. In theory the bottom paint covers the exposed areas while sitting at the dock - when running, not.

I wouldn't worry too much about structural issues (unless someone can point to the chemical constituents that would attack the resin - possible but not terribly likely I suspect), but I sure would worry about needing a $40,000 paint job!

 

[Nonchalant1]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

With the dispersants, wave action, and other boats running through it, some of it will not be just on the surface. How about drawing that stuff through your raw water cooling systems and into your holding tanks, etc. There are VOCs in crude and things I would worry about putting in a sealed holding tank and letting them sit in my boat for long periods as well as the paint and oil based seals.

Doug

 

[67hat34c]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

Think it would be bad for water pump impellors and other neoprene rubber items.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

It will not hurt Imron. All of our construction equipment is painted with Imron and it gets grease and oil on it that sits there for years at a time. When we hit it with the pressure washer the oil comes off and the paint looks fine. Imron is tough stuff.

 

[saltshaker]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

It will not hurt Imron. All of our construction equipment is painted with Imron and it gets grease and oil on it that sits there for years at a time. When we hit it with the pressure washer the oil comes off and the paint looks fine. Imron is tough stuff.

I'd be curious if that is the case for crude oil mixed with dispersants.

 

[41-Hatteras]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

Here say from someone working the BP leak, is the dispersant is attacking the gel coat and no fiberglass boats are used in the area. Some thing you my consider.
Captn Ron

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

I doubt you'd have to worry. We would clean concrete trucks with muratic acid to get the cement off and the paint would last just fine. Have you ever found any solvent or oil that has eaten the paint on your boat? It may take the shine off, but you can always buff it back to life.

If I were down in that area, however, I don't think I'd want to get into that stuff. What a mess, even if it didn't actually eat the paint away.

 

[Passages]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

I would not be too concerned other than messing up the paint.

If you want to be safer, purchase 100' of oil boom and circle your boat with it. Just like the big ships in port.

 

[ThirdHatt]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

I've heard that the oil will eat away at your bottom paint. No big deal, I'll just get BP to spring for that bottom job that I was about to have done anyway!

My real concerns are for the environmental and economic impacts of this disaster.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

I would not be too concerned other than messing up the paint.

If you want to be safer, purchase 100' of oil boom and circle your boat with it. Just like the big ships in port.

I'll bet oil booms are hard to come by right now.

 

[bigbill]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

i heard from a little bird that b.p.bought an oil boom company?? anybody else hear this?????bigbill

 

[Walter P]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

The use of a dispersant really bugs me. Consider that when you're at a fuel dock and a couple of drops of diesel gets in the water, some folks run for the spray nine or similar and start spraying. Yep the sheen disappears but what is really happening is that it emulsifies the oil and it drops to the bottom where it goes to work on various life forms. For that reason it is very illegal to spray any dispersant on spilled petro products and if you're caught doing it you will get a hefty fine. But what the heck, big oil and their buddies can screw up the fisheries all they want but the little people can't. We can't flush overboard either and in some areas even if the "stuff" is treated, it can't be discharged, but every town that has a sewer discharge from their "treatment" plants routinely discharge tons of untreated "stuff" every time it rains heavy, but we can't fine the towns but us little guys get zapped every time. I don't understand why they don't take a large flotilla of oil barges out there and some heavy pumping equipment and "vacuum" the crude oil from the water into a giant water/oil separator, return the separated water to the sea and store the oil in the barge to be towed ashore to a refinery. I must be wrong in my thinking because it seems too simple, but then again..............

Walt

 

[Capt. Tobb]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

Billy, you might need to get some Dawn and clean the oil off of the little birdie....


What a environmental nightmare!

 

[Hottub]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

I would be more worried about the cooling systems and wet exaust systems on our engines.

 

[Passages]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

I would be more worried about the cooling systems and wet exaust systems on our engines.

Should not be a problem at the dock as the intakes are a foot or more under the surface. Likewise, dead slow dispacement speed should be ok too. Any faster and bets are off.

Think about it though, why would anyone take their pride & joy out for a cruise if the oil slick comes in? Imagine the mess trying to clean splashed crude from the topsides.

Just stay at the dock - you could close the intakes if it makes you sleep better.

 

[Boatsb]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

Jim I would encourage people to use their boats and then offer your cleaning services.

Oh I forgot there are no commercial posts here

As long as the oil is in the water surrounding the boat most sea life will not grow on it so it may extend the life of the bottom paint if it does not dissolve it first.

When will the west coast Florida HOF flotilla be heading to the east coast? I know where you can find some open slips.

 

[67hat34c]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

Make sure none of you discharge and diesel in the water or oil from the bilge, sure they will give you a fine even if you spill it on top of Oil.

 

[rsmith]

Re: BP Spill- What’s the Danger to our Hatts?

I'd be curious if that is the case for crude oil mixed with dispersants.

I always have a bottle of joy ready for when the fuel tanks burp altho its supposedly not legal. But its ok for BP. Wonder if they use joy?