1957 Lyman Runabout Bilge Steam Cleaning

Thank you, RJ!

Yes, the sky is blue and the sun is out, but it is November 15, so the sun is not very high in the sky and the “heat wave” 42 degrees Fahrenheit does not help much once he gets wet, which is inevitable.

At the suggestion of her owner, I purchased a North Star industrial water heater, which is designed to “plug” into the outlet valve on the pressure washer and the spray hose. It heats water to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, which materially increases the pressure washer’s effectiveness. “We” begin by applying hot Simple Green Industrial Degreaser, diluted with water to the entire surface and let it steep for 5 – 10 minutes.

Then RJ installs the 25 degree nozzle and goes at it, bathing himself and the bilge with steam in the process.

The entire process took 4 hours, compared to the 10 – 15 it would take us were we using our old school hand scrubbing method.

She’s back in the shop, where we will brace her hull and flip her so we can focus on stripping bottom paint, addressing issues, sealing all surfaces with CPES and painting her anew.

Guess what? The 1940 Lyman yacht tender is waiting for steam cleaning, which RJ will engage shortly.