The Fairey Owners' Club

After a lot of prevaricating, I decided to remove the GRP lining from the engine bay.

This was of course, fitted to stop the oil and water from the engines soaking into the hull, however, years of movement in the keel structure meant the water seeps in from the outside and sits between the grp and hull.

Getting it all out is a fight, requiring at least 1600 watts of heat gun (I'm on my second), a paint scraper, a couple of screwdrivers and pliers. An angle grinder with sanding disk allows you to break the job down into smaller chunks and it is slightly easier. It's also best to start in a bad mood as I find this helps. You will definitely be in one when you've finished.
Mask, ear defenders, goggles and a haz-mat suit are also useful.
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Quite a lot of steam was generate by the heat gun, so it all needs to dry out before starting to clean back, prime and paint.

But in the mean time, the engine brackets and keel bolts need to come out and a crack in the central engine bearer needs dealing with...

Scott, that looks great. I have done that on a H31 and it was very hot down there!
And then carefully teasing out the oil that had soaked into the wood. Well worth doing.

I put a new battery in the moisture meter this morning and went round the engine bay taking readings in various places.

Mostly, 8% or better, but in the very black areas, it's up to 18% - yet feels dry - the black mould comes off on one's fingers.

I suspect it is salt ingress into the wood which is slewing the readings, so the next job is to clean back some areas and re-measure. Hopefully this warm weather will assist in the drying out process.

See the black up above the bilge stringers? I reckon that's cos water sat there, it leaked in through the fastenings and sat in the valley between hull shell and the side of the stringer. Always the same in the aft end of a 28.

See the black up above the bilge stringers? I reckon that's cos water sat there, it leaked in through the fastenings and sat in the valley between hull shell and the side of the stringer. Always the same in the aft end of a 28. Those bilge stringers pant.

I recall you have replaced all screws in the bottom, in which case, all good!

Outer keel will also be replaced along with keel bolts and stop-water.

So hopefully we should keep the Outside water OUT.

Also working on the plumbing, with out of spec hose on slightly too small hose tails. Keep the Inside water IN, is also dificult.

Dead right Scott, I recently bought some 1/2" hose and fittings, except the hose turned out to be 13mm and the fittings 12mm which resulted in water spurting all over the place!

Have the 31's got the stop water? Does anyone know for sure?

Well, I’ll find out at some point and report back.