Rusty Bilge? Help Wanted...03 Outback

[Lynn Syndrom]

Hello - I am a new boat owner as of 10/9/10. Purchased a 2003 Moomba Outback that I located via OnlyInBoards.com.

Used the boat one day before getting ready for winter storage. Cleaning the boat and found the "Metal Plate" located in the bilge (just aft of slalom post) to be significantly rusted. The bilge had quite a bit of rust chips under the engine that had come off the plate. Looks like something to foul the bilge pump in the future or worse. Plate is used to anchor the extarnal fins.

Question(s): Why steel here? Any ideas on replacement? Sure seems like this should have been a better grade of steel or maybe aluminum.

Thanks

For the record...Lynn Syndrom [forgot the E (not cool when your the new guy)]

[zabooda]

I can't answer your questions but my 99 has had the plate flaking off. Those nuts are torqued on really tight so I try and keep the bilge dry and watch how much metal is coming off because eventually it will need to replaced but that could be years.

[DOCDRS]

dry them, wire brush them, then spray them with autobody undercoating, or you could tremclad, then undercoat

[deerfield]

Lynne - Welcome to the forum and congratulations on the 2003 Outback purchase. If you can, get a few pics of the new toy and post here. We like pics. Hopefully someone here can give you good advice on the rust situation. Want to keep that bilge pump in operating condition. - Deerfield

[zegm]

Steel? I almost can't believe it came from the factory with mild steel in the bilge area. Anybody else notice this? I wouldn't waste time trying to clean it off and painting it. I would be taking it off and visiting a local machine shop to have them make me a 304 or 316 Stainless steel plate. If it was a 400 series Stainless it might turn colors but it shouldn't be flaking. Again find it hard to believe any boat manufacturer would do this.

[Lynn Syndrome]

Hey I just wanted to thank you guys for the help with this. I think I will make it a winter project and take the plate out then have a new one made from stainless - good idea.

I am still interested in finding out if any other Moomba Outback owners have had this issue? Please forward this on if you know of any here in the forum.

[jeffrey236]

Lynne, I'm in the same boat, so to speak, having purchased a 2000 Outback LS in August. I spoke to Moomba yesterday about this, and they recommended wire brushing and repainting with a primer and rustproof paint. Having said that, I agree with the other posters who suggest getting a new plate made from stainless steel.

[Razzman]

So let me chime in here on this. One of my old boats, a Tigé, was the same way with the same issue. It was a '95 model and had never been touched up under there. I just brushed it all off and painted with galvanizing paint then painted Rustoleum over that. I kept that boat for three years and it never rusted again, but then i always made sure the bildge was empty too.

[zabooda]

I agree Ed. It is something that has its own beauty in the bilge. I tried to loosen the nuts and they don't budge as if SC didn't want them to ever get loose. Good luck getting them off as I didn't have the tools to do it and how much torque does it take to break the bolts or damage the surrounding fiberglass.

[DOCDRS]

I agree Ed. It is something that has its own beauty in the bilge. I tried to loosen the nuts and they don't budge as if SC didn't want them to ever get loose. Good luck getting them off as I didn't have the tools to do it and how much torque does it take to break the bolts or damage the surrounding fiberglass.

That's a good point, I'd use the kiss rule and use my time for something else.