Steel Boat Refit: Foam Removal & Chine Weld (Heat-Safe Method)

Inside the Alaskan Gypsy’s galley we surgically pull plywood and foam to expose a corroded chine seam, then weld it from the outside while live-monitoring steel temps to prevent foam off-gassing and future corrosion. Real refit, real shipyard workflow—tools, temps, rods, and safety that matters. What you’ll see: Planning a straight, reusable cut with a Milwaukee oscillating tool and working safely around hidden wiring Foam hazards (smoke/soot acidity, coating resistance) and why we wire-brush and ventilate before welding Temp control: keeping interior steel near foam under 110–120 °C using an IR thermometer with radio check-ins Electrolysis damage diagnosis and rebuilding thin steel at the chine Welding passes (6011 and 6010), grinding to inspect, and why we skip a hot 7018 cap here Safety setup: exhaust fan, spray bottle, garden hose, and a proper fire watch Gear and techniques mentioned Milwaukee oscillating multi-tool, IR thermometer, 6011 and 6010 rods, quarter-inch plate, splash-zone patch, suction/exhaust fan, comms radios If you like real-world steel boat refit from Alaska’s shipyards, subscribe and say hi in the comments. New videos weekly from our liveaboard rebuild. Chapters 00:00 Getting access: galley demo plan and tool setup 01:08 Plywood off without nicking wires (glue and screw surprises) 02:05 Foam removal and unbolting blocking strip to expose chine 02:56 Finding the seam and outside inspection 03:46 Why foam smoke is corrosive and how we avoid it 06:24 Electrolysis story, clearances, and temp targets under 110–120 °C 07:48 Marking weld area outside; ready to burn in 09:23 Weld status update: filling deep corrosion at the chine 11:53 Interior temp checks, ventilation, and fire-watch setup 13:43 Why we stick with 6011 and 6010 here (no hot 7018 cap) 15:55 After-hours grind and inspect 16:22 Wrap-up: tie-in achieved, strong enough for the run — subscribe