EP 42 - First Time Seeing the Bottom of the Boat… Big Surprises on MV Geordie

A wooden boat haul-out and hull inspection in Sydney reveals the first real look at the underwater hull after years afloat. What I expected to be a routine bottom job quickly turns into a discovery of garboard seam leaks, soft planks, and transom trouble hiding below the waterline... For the next episode, click here:    • Ep 43 - The RIGHT Way to Stop a Wooden Boa...   ⚓ JOIN THE CREW – Help Keep These Classic Boats Alive Be part of something bigger than just a YouTube channel. When you join our Crew, you’re not just getting early access and ad-free episodes — you’re helping preserve and share the stories of these classic wooden boats so they can continue to sail, work, and inspire for generations to come. These boats have history. We’re just keeping it alive. 🎥 CREW PERKS ✔ Early Access – Watch new episodes 1 week before everyone else ✔ Ad-Free Viewing – Enjoy uninterrupted restoration and storytelling ✔ Support the ongoing restoration of classic boats and projects 🚪 HOW TO JOIN THE CREW 👉 Visit our support portal: https://www.travelswithgeordie.com/su... 🌊 FOLLOW THE JOURNEY Instagram   / travels_with_geordie     / living_the_boat_life   Facebook   / travelswithgeordie1     / peter.knowles.509994   📬 CONNECT WITH US 📧 Email: [email protected] 📬 Mail: Peter Knowles 185-911 Yates Street Victoria, BC, V8V 4Y9 📈 Marketing Inquiries: [email protected] Today is a bit of a milestone really — she’s finally coming out of the water for her first proper haul-out in quite some time. I’ve always had a good idea of what’s going on inside the boat because I’ve been through most of the structure, but the bottom… well, that’s always been a bit of a mystery. I’ve never actually seen the full bottom of this boat out of the water, so there’s a fair bit of anticipation about what we might find. My hope is that it’s as sound as the frames and planking inside suggest… but you never really know until she’s hanging in the slings. Once she’s lifted, I start going over everything methodically. The garboard seam is the first obvious area of concern, and sure enough, there’s evidence of water tracking through in places. Nothing catastrophic, but enough to confirm it needs attention. On a keel-cooled boat like this, you always have to keep an eye on anything that carries water along the hull — it only takes one weak point. Further aft, I start noticing a bit more movement and softness than I’d like around the turn of the keel. It’s not falling apart, but it’s definitely been working over time. That’s the nature of these older wooden boats — they tell you exactly where they’ve been under stress if you take the time to look closely. By the time I get forward and start looking at the transom area, it’s clear there are a few more things that will need attention in due course. Nothing unexpected for a boat of this age, but enough to go on the list for future work. For now though, I’m just focused on stabilising, cleaning, and understanding exactly what we’ve got to work with. All in all, it’s not as bad as it could have been — in fact, I was half expecting worse. There’s work ahead, as always, but that’s part of the deal with these old wooden boats. They give you a lot back if you’re willing to keep up with them. Cheers, and stay tuned — there’s plenty more to come from the hard. 00:00 Intro 00:48 Engine update 1:23 Plan for haul out 2:44 Geordie's bottom revealed! 5:30 Leaks identified 6:23 Soft board found 6:52 Geordie moved to land 8:13 Transom trouble 9:33 Bow bleeders #WoodenBoatRestoration #BoatLife #BoatMaintenance wooden boat haul out, hull inspection boat, garboard seam leak, keel cooling system, transom repair wooden boat, boat underwater hull condition, classic wooden boat maintenance, boat leak detection, boat bilge vacuuming, wooden boat restoration project