Saunterer gives up her secrets – Part 5 – lead weights in the bilge
Date: 10th August, 2015“ONE of the tasks in this restoration has been to clear out all the debris from Saunterer’s bilge. This includes concrete, tar, decades of old paint and grime. Often the wooden surface of the bildge was coated in tar, on which concrete was poured – used for weight ballast and also to bring bilge water to the surface of the bilge so it could be pumped away…
…some of the 750kg of concrete and tar…
and lead paint residue probably from the early part of the 20th centure from inside the hull…
…and outside…
One of the most fascinating secrets has been the discovery of 24 lead weights mixed into the tar, each about 2cm across, which gave additonal ballast in the stern…
The result of clearing away all the debris has been the creation of a clear interior working surface…”
The Project Team 30 July 2015
