Treatment of Bilgewater to Control Decay in the Bilge Area of Wooden Boats

A number of chemicals were tested in the laboratory as preservatives for possible use in bilgewater to control decay of wood wetted by bilgewater. These were borax and boric acid, a mixture of borax and boric acid, phenyl mercuric acetate, and certain chlor and phenyl phenols. The solutions of all the chemicals increased substantially the decay resistance of blocks that had been soaked in the solutions for a period of 1 month. Borax solutions, however, damaged blocks of white oak and mahogany and therefore would not be safe in bilgewater in contact with wood of hardwood species. Orthophenylphenol and pentachlorophenol have the following desired qualities of a bilgewater chemical: Low solubility in water, capacity to completely inhibit fungus development, safety in handling, harmless to wood, non-corosive to metal fastenings, odor-free, and low cost.

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