Oh! That's where the leak is...

Last summer, upon the completion of a great long trip (well, in JJ, all trips tend to be long), returning to the marina there was a leak.

A trickle really. Something the bilge pump could keep up with, but something that clearly was a serious issue. Last fall when she was pulled out, it was very clear the trickle was a loose bunch of stuff holding the stern tube into place (but mostly just barely in place). Some digging and peeling cutting and chipping, I ended up with a nasty discovery.

Yes, that's after the rotted wood was removed, and I pried out the wet, spongy and stringy business that was once plywood, oh so many years ago.

So I found the leak.  I spent much of the winter thinking hard about it. Recently, I went down to dig some more. And this what we found.

So, now the ideas are flowing in, what can I do remove and replace the wood in such a way as to make it much stronger than the rotten ply was and to seal off the leak so that is all ends up a strong solution.

And that's what's running thru my brain.