Welding Electrolysis Damage on Our Steel Sailboat | Boat Refit in Alaska

A break in the weather lets us resume welding hull repairs time on the s/v Alaskan Gypsy. Years of sitting in a marina with stray electrical current — and without proper zinc sacrificial anodes — caused electrolysis (galvanic corrosion) that literally ate through welds and attacked the steel plating on the hull and keel of our 80’ steel schooner. In this video: • stick welding repairs with 6010 and 6011 rod (1/8” & 3/32”) • building up dissolved seams and plating • grinding and shaping between passes • working both on thick keel steel and thin hull areas where foam had been removed • racing the southeast Alaska rain clouds before the next storm hit. This is the gritty side of a steel boat refit - undoing years of corrosion, one weld at a time. Subscribe to follow the restoration of the Alaskan Gypsy as we tackle welding, hull plating, and all the challenges of bringing an old steel schooner back to life in Wrangell, Alaska. Here's our 'shipyard story' video: https://youtu.be/w45ptFNXPX8?si=GwW7jQXq2j224mhe Chapters included for easy navigation — skip ahead to welding passes, grinding, or electrolysis explanation. 00:00 – Intro: Hull Repairs on the Alaskan Gypsy 01:15 – Why Electrolysis Damaged the Hull (galvanic corrosion, lack of zinc anodes, stray current) 02:00 – First Pass with 1/8” 6010 Rod (good penetration for keel welds) 02:50 – Switching Rods for Build-Up on Corroded Steel 03:30 – Balancing Heat on Thick vs. Thin Hull Plating 04:05 – Grinding and Wire Brushing Between Passes 04:45 – Repairing Thin Hull Areas Above the Keel Line 05:10 – Final Passes Before the Rain Moves In 05:35 – Hull Welding Wrap-Up | Refit Continues