1999 Sea Ray 310 DA w/soft deck (hood) in front of center hatch (to windlass)

homelite

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Aug 13, 2002
Messages
156
Hello,
On the said boat that I just purchased, i noticed when I walk on the deck it is soft. In talking to a fellow boater at my marina, he suggested the wood may be rotten under the fiberglass deck. I think he is correct, even though no leaks or smell.

Questions:
How to remove headliner in cabin without ruining it?
What kind of wood to install after digging the rotted out?
How to attach the wood to the underside of fiberglass?
What epoxy or resin to use?
What sealer to use on the hatch and hood railing when reinstalling?

I don't know if this is common or not, but very dissappointing to say the least!

Thanks in advance for any help.
 

Woodonglass

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Messages
25,924
Re: 1999 Sea Ray 310 DA w/soft deck (hood) in front of center hatch (to windlass)

That's a very impressive craft!!!! Pics always help us to help you so we can see what you see. This is no exception. Best way to post your pics is to open a Free Photobucket account, upload your pics, then use the IMG code to copy and paste into iBoats. Post some pics and you'll get plenty of advice from some of the most knowledgeable boating restoration people to be found anywhere on the internet.;)
 

tpenfield

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 18, 2011
Messages
17,624
Re: 1999 Sea Ray 310 DA w/soft deck (hood) in front of center hatch (to windlass)

Got some pics to show us?

Did you have it surveyed prior to purchasing? If so, wondering if anything was noted on the survey.

You will want to remove all of the interior cushions, etc first. Some of the cushions may be screwed in. Look for screws in hidden crevasses within the cushions, etc.

You can peel back the headliner by finding a starting point and carefully pulling it away from the ceiling. It probably has a foam backing which you want to pull intact as best you can.

Here are some pics of the headliner and side liners pulled back in my boat for some alteration work that I did . . .
speakersout.jpg


Liners peeled back . . .
headlinerback.jpg


The foam-backed cloth should pull away from the fiberglass of the hull and deck.

Once you have the stuff that you want to re-use secured and kept out of harms way, I would drill a few exploration holes into the wood core of the deck. See what you find. Drill just into the core, but not through the entire deck.

If there is rotted wood, then there is probably a leak up topside that has been feeding it over the course of many years. You will want to find the leak.

Post some pictures once you have things exposed, etc and I am sure there will be more to talk about at that point.
 
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