I'm finally getting ready to clean up & RE-DO my engine compartment.
The plywood floors have been in place since '79. Under the two, 200 gallon tanks and under & aft of the generator, are areas where plywood floors restrict access to the inside of the hull.
Over time, the hull, in these areas, has become "black" with "crud". I don't think the "crud" is oil. I think it is just many years of "film". Neither the generator nor the fuel tanks have leaked, to my knowledge.
These areas do not include the "bilges" - under the engines. The bilges are fairly clean and accessible.
I am unable to reach "much" of the covered hull areas with a pressure washer. I can get hull cleaner in these areas to soak, but scrubbing is not possible.
Do marine detailers have special tools to clean such remote areas? Could they use an "agile" soda blaster to clean these covered areas?
I am considering removing the floors or putting access panels between the stringers in these covered areas to enable me to clean the hull, then replace the floors (or access panels) with composite grating to enable me to keep the inside of the hull ship shape?
To remove the flooring, I will have to detach the plywood from the stringers. In some cases, it looks like the flooring is epoxied to the stringers. Will this change affect the stiffness of the hull? It's a 30K pound 42' Ocean 40+2 trawler.
Your thoughts are appreciated.
The plywood floors have been in place since '79. Under the two, 200 gallon tanks and under & aft of the generator, are areas where plywood floors restrict access to the inside of the hull.
Over time, the hull, in these areas, has become "black" with "crud". I don't think the "crud" is oil. I think it is just many years of "film". Neither the generator nor the fuel tanks have leaked, to my knowledge.
These areas do not include the "bilges" - under the engines. The bilges are fairly clean and accessible.
I am unable to reach "much" of the covered hull areas with a pressure washer. I can get hull cleaner in these areas to soak, but scrubbing is not possible.
Do marine detailers have special tools to clean such remote areas? Could they use an "agile" soda blaster to clean these covered areas?
I am considering removing the floors or putting access panels between the stringers in these covered areas to enable me to clean the hull, then replace the floors (or access panels) with composite grating to enable me to keep the inside of the hull ship shape?
To remove the flooring, I will have to detach the plywood from the stringers. In some cases, it looks like the flooring is epoxied to the stringers. Will this change affect the stiffness of the hull? It's a 30K pound 42' Ocean 40+2 trawler.
Your thoughts are appreciated.