YACHTING STEADFAST · video

What this video covers

Steven Uhthoff fills non-draining bilge pockets in the bow of a 1934 William Hand–designed ketch with number three asphalt (low-odor) as part of a major bow repair underway in Cambridge, Maryland since August 2024.0:05 The repair replaced a rotted oak stem and knee with purpleheart, and re-planking and re-caulking of the majority of the hull are ongoing.1:23 Pouring hot asphalt — heated to roughly 400 degrees Fahrenheit using a large propane burner to melt blocks of the material — seals the new construction in areas of the bilge that cannot drain.2:28 A smaller burner cuts portions off the solid blocks before melting.2:41 The product is inexpensive and available in block form; the crew improvised melting vessels from a sacrificed teapot and pots sourced at a local Goodwill.2:56 Uhthoff notes that finding any prior documentation on this specific technique — filling non-draining bow bilge pockets with asphalt on a wooden vessel — proved difficult, which motivated sharing the process.0:05 Hot asphalt poured while still fluid flows into tight spaces between new frames and planking, sealing them completely once cooled.0:19

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PITCHING THE BILGE FINAL Interior view--sealing the pockets of a wooden boat rebuild with asphaltAug 2026PITCHING THE BILGE -- INTRO. How to seal the pockets in the bilge of a wooden boat with asphalt.Aug 2026DROPPING HER INTO THE WATER after two years! If you haven't seen a launch, click here! Quick & easy!Aug 2026STEADFAST is Launched after 23 months of Rebuild, Refit & Hard Labor @yachtingsteadfastJun 2026

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