Rotten deck core

Hi,

I have a 22.5" aqua sports and surprise surprise the deck has several very large soft spots, and the T tops moves around quite a bit due to the movement of the deck. I cut an access hole in the deck and have confirmed that the core material (Balsa I think) is wet and basically useless. The rot seems to have started around the T tops. I think the reason is that the spots where the legs are mounted to the deck are not reinforced in any way.

So my plan at this time is to remove everything from the deck and then carefully remove the top layer of glass. Then i will have to devise a way to laminate mounting blocks to the stringers (from what I can tell they may be in the right place to do this) to strengthen the areas where the T top mounts. Then I will replace the core material and attempt to re laminate the top layer of glass back onto the deck.

I have a few questions.

First of all, I have never done this. I have seen it done and consider myself pretty competent with these types of procedures. Honestly though how much of a PIA is this going to be?

Should I use a balsa core material or replace as much wood as i can with a foam?

If I cut holes into the bottom layer of glass, how do i fill in this holes (I don't think I will have very good access to the underside of the deck)?

Has anyone here documented a similar project on a boat? Pictures would be great but anything is better than nothing. I have found a PDF of a small scale version of this repair on the deck of a small sailboat.

And finally, this is everyones last chance to tell me to give up and buy a new boat. LOL But seriously that is not an option, so I have got to fix it or pay to have it fixed and I am pretty sure the latter is going to cost me a ton of cash. Also, i have a great indoor space to do this where the boat can sit for months at a time if need be.

Sorry for the long first post but I have got to get this done right.

Tom

Re: Rotten deck core

Hello

There is a wealth of info here about all kinds of projects. I'm certain this is something that you could do. I did this once to a 19' Aquasport while working in the Bahamas. I got the deck off and was not very impressed with the build quality of the stringers, or the hull. It did not seem to have the thickness I thought should be in a boat of the size.
You have a bigger model and may have better build quality. I just wanted to let you know what I have seen with this manufacture's boat.

Re: Rotten deck core

welcome to i boats!.

im not sure of the vessel you are tring to fix. however. a simple glass floor fix isnt that hard to do and the pride of ownership grows with every project.

any thing you want to do to a boat has probably been covered on this forum.
just hit search, type in the key words and there it is.

i bought a book called runabout renovation. by jim anderson. written in plain english. (a 5th grader) could read and understand it.

also the people here are very very up on there stuff.
if you use this forum, its like havin 10 pros standing over your sholder guiding you to do it right.

now would be the perfect time to examine the rest of the inner hull.
is the foam wet? (search core sample, and look for tashasdaddy) he has an exellent way to check for wet foam.

cheers
oops

Re: Rotten deck core

here's a look at what you are in for. don't let it scary you.

http://70silverline.250free.com/Skankybeast.html

Re: Rotten deck core

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I have been doing a ton of searches, and have found some very good stuff including the link above. They all seem to pertain to older boats with plywood floors.

I do not think I am going to be able to split the boat into 2 pieces as shown in the above link (i.e. top and bottom), I just think it will be to big and fragile. So I need to just remove the floor and in order to get to the stringers to check them I will need to cut a hole completely through the floor. What I can't seem to find out is how I will patch the large whole that will be used to access the stringers. before the plan was to only replace the core of the floor so the lower layer of glass could remain in place. I would then simply add in a new core on top of the old glass, with a bunch of resin of course, and then reapply the old floor back over the new core with more resin and then dress the edges. Now it seems as though i will not have the lower layer of glass there to support the new core.

How do i fill a hole that will have no backing under it? The wet glass will not span the hole without falling in correct?

Is everyone suggesting I use plywood that has been sealed with resin for my floor and then glass over?

I think I may be missing something.

Tom

Re: Rotten deck core

pictures of bad area, age of boat? most boat the bottom of the decking is not sealed, laid in place, fastened, and glasses over.

seriously think you will find more than you think to joint a deck you attach a scam on the bottom side of the good deck with a lip to catch the new wood. as if the lines below were deck

deck scab patch scab deck

Re: Rotten deck core

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures and really can't get any. The wife and I are building a new house and garage so the boat will be the first project in the new place but for now it is stored at my parents house with cover on it of course.

I have cut into the deck and did find that it was a true sandwich construction (i.e glass balsa glass). The boat is a 98 I think or maybe a 99. I think there is a good possibility the stringers are dry, I cut a access port in the deck when I was looking at the deck and at least the one I was close to was dry, i think they were foam cored stringers, is that possible? However to give the T top a better mount I will still need to cut a hole or to completely through the deck.

Tom

Hey You live in Jax, I live in Keystone heights just north of Gville. Small world. I bet there are alot of folks here from this area.

Re: Rotten deck core

like this