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 Author  Topic: Question to PT Vets - Tell us about beards on PT Boats
David Waples

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of David Waples  Posted on: Nov 17, 2009 - 9:02pm
Greetings,
Reviewing the book PT-109 at the time of her sinking it was reported that the 109 had a heavy mossy green beard and this slowed her down some. It was said that she hadn't been into dry dock for a while to have her bottom scraped.

Looking at photos of beards on wood boats it seems like the beard on a PT Boat would actually cover the entire bottom of the boat. Is that how you remember it as well?
Thank you
Dave

David Waples

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BobPic

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Nov 18, 2009 - 5:53am
I recall two bottom parasites; beard, which was vegetation and barnacles, which were shellfish. Either one slowed the boat significantly and the crew (who had to clean the hull by themselves) hoped to get into drydock every few weeks to clean it. I think both situations did cover the entire hull, but at high speed many parasites would be torn off. By the time the boat was raised, there were large patches that were clean. Particularly in areas where the water was forced to take a turn like near the bow, close to the keel. We estimated that we suffered a 5 knot difference between a clean hull and one covered with barnacles. Barnacles had to be chiseled off.Fire or heat made them drop off voluntarily, but there were strict rules against using such fire hazzards. (not that we always followed the rules) In early 1943 (I think) we began receiving copper based bottom paint which discouraged plant and animal life to go elsewhere. It was only a 50% improvement.


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Drew Cook

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Drew Cook  Posted on: Nov 18, 2009 - 4:23pm
Not the same as PT boats (and in the Caribbean, not the Pacific), but...

I've mentioned this before, but my Dad owned two wooden-hulled work boats in the U.S. Virgin Islands (St. Thomas) when we lived there from the mid-1960's to the mid 1980's.

We would periodically take one or the other of the boats to a cove, anchor them, and Dad and I would go over the side and scrape the sides of the hull at the waterline (carefully) with paint chippers and wire brushes, to get rid of the barnacles and sea moss -- both of which grew most heavily along the hull(s) at the waterline and just below. We tried to pull most of the long "beard" of sea moss off mostly by hand, twirling a handful over a couple of fingers and yanking at it. The only time the boats got a complete hull scraping, sanding and repainting was once a year, when they were hauled out of the water at the West Indian Company docks (which was expensive).

We always repainted the hulls with a couple of coats of copperoid anti-fouling paint on the haul-outs, but it only did so much good -- the wooden boats would grow "beards" and barnacles on the hulls anyway, after a while. As I remember, the growth was all over the hulls -- but most heavily at the waterline(s).


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David Waples

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of David Waples  Posted on: Nov 19, 2009 - 5:16am
Thanks Bob and Drew.

I'll bet some people saw this thread and were thinking something different! Like facial hair! LOL.

Anyway, I came across some photos of wood boats with moss and barnacles. Is this similar to what you would expect to see on a PT bottom? Would it more or less than what we're seeing here?

Thanks!
Dave



David Waples

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BobPic

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message   Posted on: Nov 19, 2009 - 6:00am
You certainly found an appropriate picture which shows an extreme case of bottom bannacles. I've seen such severe cases but most crews kept the bottoms much cleaner since it slowed the boat by several knots. They explained to us that this was due to the drag of the lump directly, but mostly because they created a void behind them at high speed and it acted as a cavitation drag.


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David Waples

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of David Waples  Posted on: Nov 19, 2009 - 7:25pm
Thank you Bob. It sounds like "a heavy beard" on a PT wouldn't be as bad as this if I read you correctly. When the 109 was sunk they were trying to get her in to scrape down the bottom. They just didn't have the time.

I'm experimenting how to replicate this on a 1/72 model. I tried ground pepper but it's much too big. I also tried salt but it's the same result. I'm going to see what's available at the store tomorrow. Hopefully I can find something very fine that will do the trick.

Thanks so much for your input!
Dave

David Waples

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Will Day

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of Will Day   Send Email To Will Day Posted on: Nov 19, 2009 - 7:59pm
David: What about whisker shavings from an electric razor?

Will

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David Waples

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of David Waples  Posted on: Nov 19, 2009 - 8:16pm
Never thought of that. Unfortunately I'm a blade kind of guy so I'd have to buy one. Thanks for the suggestion!
Dave

David Waples

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PeterTareBuilder

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Post a Reply To This Topic    Reply With Quotes     Edit Message     View Profile of PeterTareBuilder  Posted on: Nov 20, 2009 - 2:43am
Hi David Waples.

You wrote:

"Thank you Bob. It sounds like "a heavy beard" on a PT wouldn't be as bad as this if I read you correctly. When the 109 was sunk they were trying to get her in to scrape down the bottom. They just didn't have the time.

I'm experimenting how to replicate this on a 1/72 model. I tried ground pepper but it's much too big. I also tried salt but it's the same result. I'm going to see what's available at the store tomorrow. Hopefully I can find something very fine that will do the trick.

Thanks so much for your input!
Dave

David Waples "

I have found that a very find dust can be found at the end of most driveways. I often use this for my texture material. You could use anything that is really fine. How about Plaster pf Paris or a similar powder

Cheers from Peter

"Give me a faster PT boat for I'd like to get out of harm's way!"

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