Sweating the small stuff
It was hot! And the corrosion stain emanating from the lazarette hatch vent was getting me down - always there, ever increasing. Looking back at our photographs from the pre-purchase survey, there was no sign of it, that's quite impressive for just over a year!
Corrosion staining the paint
Addressing the issue is maintenance really, and probably doesn't belong under 'Projects'. Also if this is all we have to report then the rate of degradation far exceeds the rate of repair. Much more has been achieved and with such enthusiasm that I didn't document them very well.
In an attempt to keep this small, inline with the size of the task. Bicarbonate of Soda and Vinegar works really well to remove the corrosion staining from the paint. I was sceptical but the results were really satisfying. Its a hunch but the bolts appear to be the cause - exhibiting localised corrosion and wastage at the interface with the vent. I don't think the bolts were 316 (A4). In addition during the reinstatement we used 2.5 / 3mm PTFE as a gasket / insulator to raise the vent off the paintwork and Sikaflex both sides in an attempt to mitigate further degradation. Fingers crossed
06th September 2019 - Update: The repair appears to be effective, with no evidence of further corrosion.