A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

[ihopeitfloats]

Hello. I bought a 1978 Sportcraft with many issues. I've posted twice already today and am hoping that if I separate my issues, I run a better chance of getting a response from someone who can help.

The cuddy of this boat has a leak somehow. I figured this out by lifting the hatches on the tops of the two sides of the V-berth and saw that the seller had propped both of the hatch doors up with flotation devices so there wouldn't be any telltale sag when the unsuspecting buyer (me) looked into the cuddy. The pictures show just the starboard side storage area. I put an arrow where the water is coming in...thankfully it is not from/around the stringer. It must have been a problem for awhile...long enough for all that mold to grow, and a mushroom to sprout! The port side compartment is just as bad.

I am reasonably sure I can find the leak(s). The POs did a terrible job of not sealing the rub rail and other externals, and I am fairly certain that's where the water trickled in.

I have sprayed down the inside fiberglass with bleach and am waiting for Clorox to work its magic before wiping it all down. I will have to rip out the plywood and the carpeting. I will also have to replace the foam inside the cushions, as it's waterlogged and moldy. I would like to avoid having to make new cushion covers; I've looked around online and can't seem to find anyplace that makes standard-size cuddy cushions...can anyone recommend one, and also a good/cheap place online to buy hull interior carpeting?

Thanks very much.

DJ in NY

 

[jigngrub]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

Sorry to say, but you have much bigger issues than cushions and carpeting.

You have wet fiberglass encapsulated wood that need to be removed... it's probably not even wood anymore probably more like fiberglass encapsulated garden mulch.

I suggest you get busy with a drill and start taking core samples around your boat to find where the damage is and how much damage you have.

 

[ihopeitfloats]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

Thanks for the reply. I have taken core samples and the stringers are dry. I think the water's trickling in from a fair number of places in hull where POs did a crap job of sealing.

DJ

 

[25thmustang]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

I wouldn't automatically assume wet, rotted and mush stringers, and it sounds like you verified they are fine.

The rub rail is a good start, but water is tricky. It can be coming from anywhere above this area. Windows, anything bedded above could be leaking.

As far as cushions, find a local person to make them, or grab a sewing machine and give it a go. I redid my cabin cushions in my 29'er, and they looked fairly good for a first time.

 

[jigngrub]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

sap?ro?phyte (spr-ft)
n.
An organism, especially a fungus or bacterium, that grows on and derives its nourishment from dead or decaying organic matter.

 

[ihopeitfloats]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

As I said, I took core sample of stringers and they came up dry. Mold is growing all over plywood of cuddy compartments.

Mold also grows on vinyl, foam, etc.

 

[F14CRAZY]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

Someone at Bayliner forgot to put any sealant on the screws holding the cuddy hatch in. I would remove, clean, and rebed all the thru-cabin fittings. Bow light, railing bases, the rub rail, hatch...caulk goes bad eventually. I'd suggest something like 3M 4000 or 4200.

Also, the joint where the top half of the hull or cap meets the bottom half of the hull, where the rub rail is, would let in water every time the boat hit a decent wave. I resealed this from the inside before I replaced the carpet and also from the outside.

For interior carpet I used rubber backed outdoor carpet from Lowes and contact cement.

Once you get things dry (counting you don't have any rot problems...rot of the plywood core of the cabin roof can occur from leaking fittings), I keep a refillable crystal dehumidifier in the cabin...called Damp Rid and available at like Walmart where they keep the moth balls or at West Marine. I spray this mildew controlling stuff on the carpet and underneath the cushions too but I forgot what it's called. I keep my boat in a slip all season so moisture and rain intrusion have posed more a problem than they have in the past for me but I've kept things in control

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

Is there expandable foam in this pix, it's hard to tell if it's foam or fiberglass:

If it's foam, and it's gotten wet, it may be compromised & holding water against fiberglass wrapped wood that you may not have cored. That is often the case in many waters leaking into the boat scenarios. And are you pointing to where you think water is gaining entry to the cabin, or where the water is collecting once it's already inside the cabin?

If it's bare fiberglass, a good scrub will certainly clean it up, and a follow up to kill any left behind mold/mildew spores may improve the somewhat gloom & doom opinions of the boats current condition. But, man, there's a whole lot of ugly in that pix ^^^. Hopefully it's all just cosmetics that can be easily addressed....

 

[jigngrub]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

I agree with jbcurt, give that boat a good scrubbing with a bleach based cleaner so you can see what you have. You'll be able to see cracks and penetrations in you fiberglass better.

It's stuff like this screw penetration through the protective fiberglass barrier (and any cracks or chips) that kill a fiberglass boat... and since this screw in a suspected leak area it makes it even worse. You should remove that screw and take a core sample there.

If your fiberglass has cracks in it, it's from the wood swelling behind it... wood swells when it absorbs moisture, and we all know what happens to wood after it absorbs moisture.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

I would rip up the carpet material and see what you have.

Looks to me like the deck is starting to rot .. and possibly that bulkhead shown in pic one.

Dont worry.. I have seen elm trees growing from boats lol .. ( seriously ) .

YD.

 

[ihopeitfloats]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

It's stuff like this screw penetration through the protective fiberglass barrier (and any cracks or chips) that kill a fiberglass boat... and since this screw in a suspected leak area it makes it even worse. You should remove that screw and take a core sample there.

That piece of wood isn't attached to the fiberglass. It was part of the top layer of plywood, on which the hatch sat. If you look at the middle picture above, you can see that piece of wood sort of hanging off to the side.

This weekend I will wipe it all down, rip up carpet and plywood and see what I can see.

DJ

 

[ihopeitfloats]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

F14, thanks for helpful suggestions and how to/where to's.

I'm starting to think that I could spend every weekend between now and May working on this thing and still not be ready for fishing.

:facepalm:

DJ

 

[jigngrub]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

I'm starting to think that I could spend every weekend between now and May working on this thing and still not be ready for fishing.

:facepalm:

DJ

... and now you know the reason why it was sold for cheap!

Old neglected fiberglass boats require a lot of work and money to make them seaworthy again.

We're all actually trying to help you... we may be saying things you don't want to hear, but that doesn't mean they aren't the truth.

 

[ihopeitfloats]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

Hey there--

It's fiberglass. No foam. In fact, I haven't seen a speck of foam anywhere on this boat, save for inside a torn life jacket.

DJ

 

[ihopeitfloats]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

Hey there--

I totally recognize the knowledge and experience here on the boards--that's why I'm here. I am grateful for the advice and generosity of spirit abundant here.

I have nooooooo interest whatsoever in going for a surprise swim with the family while the boat goes bloop, bloop, bloop and then sinks below the surface next to us.

DJ

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

Hey there--

It's fiberglass. No foam. In fact, I haven't seen a speck of foam anywhere on this boat, save for inside a torn life jacket.

DJ

Fiberglass is easy .. well smelly and sometimes a bit difficult to work with depending on the layup.

Think of it like liquid Welding. Its quick and as long as its done right it will last basically forever.

Tinnies Have to be coated and Painted. No gelcoat involved.

IMHO glass boats require a lot less knowledge for the DIYer. Repairs can be done quickly and soundly with minimal materials and time.

YD.

 

[ihopeitfloats]

Re: A Mushroom is Growing in my Cuddy

So...I did more core samples and everything up front in the cuddy came up dry and yellowy-tan. I've attache pictures of the drill bit and the shavings on the stringer that's in this cuddy compartment.

So I'm still a little puzzled as to where this water is coming from, but I did make another discovery: The wall of the starboard side cuddy (the little wall that's between the cockpit and the cuddy, which seems to be made from fiberglass-covered plywood) is rotten as can be. So maybe that's what the mold is finding so delicious and staying around for.

So I get to add ripping out that wall and replacing it to my to-do list.

I unscrewed all of the bolts that hold down the carpeting around the edges of the cuddy platform, but the weekend got cut short and I didn't get to rip up all the moldy plywood itself. That will be next weekend's project, I hope.

So again...not to repeat myself, but can anyone see a problem with covering the open end of this drainage channel that doesn't have any reason to be open?

Thanks.

DJ