87' mckee craft 16 ft hull questions

Status
Not open for further replies.

muddyfishin

Seaman
Joined
May 31, 2018
Messages
66
ive tried all the research I could on the hull design of these boats, since ive bought it ive got water coming from inside the hull. im curious as to if anyone knows if the entire hull is filled with foam or if the y put in channels of foam spaced out?, also curious as if there are any voids? in the summer I had the trailer leaned forward allowing the water to drain out of the crack in the keel, it would stop after about a half gallon or so, but a couple days go by and there is more,, I had sanded the boat and sealed the crack and any holes after months of letting water out every week or so, and after 2 months of sitting all sealed up I popped one hole open and it seemed that the hull was at least halfway filled with water!!, it seems like rain water is getting in somewhere although ive sealed most holes topside, I just dont think there could be that much water trapped in the foam, maybe im wrong, I live in the north east and worrying about freezing temps so ive left that hole open to allow water out. im not sure where to go from here. I haven't weighed the boat yet, but plan to do so, also im considering cutting a hole on the topside deck to install an access hatch into the hull/foam area maybe put a bilge pump in there if necessary, any recommendations? or advice? I still have some holes I can seal topside such as under the consoles, seats, thats really all thats left . thanks for any help
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,304
weigh the boat. most likely its waterlogged.

if the foam is water logged, you have a hard choice to make.
 

kcassells

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Oct 16, 2012
Messages
8,576
Yea..I agree with Scott. The foam is wet and you can never properly dry it out. In the process, the encapsulated glass wood structures deteriorate. Hence time to gear up and get ready for total rehb.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,304
since the McKee is a Whaler knock-off, there is a lot of work to re-hab the hull and remove water saturated foam.

hence the tough choice to make.
 

garbageguy

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 8, 2012
Messages
1,531
aside from the other, probably more important, input - tilt it the other way and drain it out the stern?
 

muddyfishin

Seaman
Joined
May 31, 2018
Messages
66
I definitely need to make time to get the thing weighed to see how bad my issue is, just interesting how much water might actually be retained in the foam if indeed its not the help of rain water getting in . also, garbage guy, if I tilt the trailer up as to drain from the stern it does not come out,, I even drilled into the hull on the transom and the foam seemed fine on my drill bit and no water!?, however I had noticed some seepage through a screw hole in the floor about 3/4 of the way back , and when tilted forward to drain and put back up the seepage had stopped, there is definitely water in some of the foam, just wondering if its worth cutting a panel for access,but not sure if theres an actual void id be able to see into or if the hull is literally solid foam between the fiberglass?
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,304
Foam has a finite life, add it soaking in water from a leak somewhere and add a few freeze/thaw cycles and the closed cell foam (flotation foam) becomes open cell foam mush (pretty much a sponge).
wven if you put the boat in a desert for years, it doesnt fix the foam.

Water soaked foam needs to be replaced
 

zool

Captain
Joined
Aug 19, 2012
Messages
3,432
This is the type of construction ur dealing with..at least similar.

y4mcEX0OjLmXgYcJpmxs2cLcmkAMDxvUVg1ICcKLagfGHvFaAPViZHGM7gaPT5CTXELjE7aZJTE7Ytb78B17OD6eBiIrXKtzJ0t5Er0mSlD5bCaJdozS4i2-WrLEeJxd-eHnpaPapY3RLT-NsMZkbGr5y3b5Jbw-0SktOmv65mWT--mYPT1wSR1pTdX1zmSfWHJhSArNZZlNKBRlqmRO-7prA


There are ways to fix it if its only the foam under deck and not the gunnels..
 

muddyfishin

Seaman
Joined
May 31, 2018
Messages
66
scott that makes perfect sense to me, now its just understanding how bad it is as I have drilled holes into foam that is dry and seems fine, its just locating where and how much has been damaged. the guy I bought it off said that the crack on the keel had happened recent however I dont know how long it was in the water after the crack. guess I will find out ,, zool thank you for an example as to what im dealing with. not what I was hoping for but the truth hurts lol I will return with updates,, also,, is the style foam used in these hulls available anywhere? doesn't look like an easy hollow out and refoam your boat kinda deal
 

zool

Captain
Joined
Aug 19, 2012
Messages
3,432
Heres a 14 McKee, which should be similar to yours..

y4m-Ax-lFj_9Uu-HdNEknqYkqImi0hdy3evGUH7BGvwiNcpy_ffiOWT843F7yDH-dTSXAF3nG720BzGFmnv-18YLaO_x0FerlHvSgnZu6F8useGV9JGyI7yoHna5ivOeVaCnB1HXrpdFAqlHVkbca3nEyhTTjram_nWB92cWL7FPHbe5yy4kw3A2oEApgUM7-j2xinLdCBWuSfN__yLkaN2Hw


Its really not that hard to fix if its wet under the deck only, the problem is that the foam supports the glass skin deck by adhering to it. One of the better methods involves cutting the deck skin out leaving a 2 inch lip where the deck meets the gunwales, then u can dig out the bad foam.. To get the 2 part pour in foam back in, and keep the deck from being wavy, you need to temporarily attach the original deck skin to some stiff plywood overlapping the outer lip leaving the skin flush with the lip, drill strategically placed holes throughout and pour in the new foam, then remove the plywood leaving the skin adhered and level over the new cured foam, Then just fair the seams and holes and finish will gel or paint.

Thats just the overview, we canwalk you thru it all if needed.
 

muddyfishin

Seaman
Joined
May 31, 2018
Messages
66
so today I got to work and cut the glass skin off of the deck, , I found that on the port and starboard side there was plywood between the glass and foam and down the center of the keel was all foam.. now it was in the 20's last night and today barely made it above freezing, most of the foam seemed dry so far although id only removed the keel area there was some frozen foam and water,, when poking through the fill holes on the ply wood the port side oozed water like a sponge! the starboard side was solid. im going to remove all foam just to be safe and know that once gutted and all holes in the hull and topside are sealed that I will have good dry safe foam when all is done.. im wondering if installing an indeck fuel tank is a good idea? since ill have it gutted out im just not sure if thats a good idea being it would be surrounded by foam and if the foam is used as structural integrity as well? I have a picture of the deck with only skin removed tomorrow I will take more as I gut more foam out which is proving to be a pain in the ass . thanks for any help
 

dragula

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Oct 14, 2018
Messages
41
any update on this? I have a '79 Mckee that im about to do the same thing on. I am gonna assume that there is plywood under the deck on port and starboard like yours. I've seen PVC pipes ran through Carolina skiffs for cables but idk about a fuel tank
 

GA_Boater

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
May 24, 2011
Messages
49,038
any update on this? I have a '79 Mckee that im about to do the same thing on. I am gonna assume that there is plywood under the deck on port and starboard like yours. I've seen PVC pipes ran through Carolina skiffs for cables but idk about a fuel tank
No.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top