Flotation foam

[Jakem]

I have found a soft spot in the fiberglass on my floor. I have cut the fiberglass back and found rotten plywood. The foam is dry right to the bottom and zero damage to the stringer. Now is that foam supposed to be really light kinda deal as it is

 

[flashback]

Light and dry is good.

 

[Jakem]

Perfect

 

[nola mike]

I have found a soft spot in the fiberglass on my floor. I have cut the fiberglass back and found rotten plywood. The foam is dry right to the bottom and zero damage to the stringer. Now is that foam supposed to be really light kinda deal as it is

Did you drill into the stringer?

 

[JimS123]

Did you drill into the stringer?

Yeah. Soft floor and a good stringer is an anomaly.

 

[Jakem]

The top has about 1 inch that's ugly...the rest looks clean and not that old...perhaps why all the foam is still dry and right to the top

 

[Jakem]

Couple pics

 

[nola mike]

Couple pics

You're looking at the fiberglass, you can't tell the condition of the stringers. Need to drill into the stringer in a few places, esp at the bottom. And actually, not sure what's in that pic... Looks like the top of the stringer with no fiberglass but a bunch of rot?

 

[froggy1150]

Looks like super thin fiberglass on a rotting stri ger

 

[tpenfield]

It is a little hard to tell from the pictures, but I see more bad than good. Stringer (?) looks rotten.

 

[KJM]

You say zero damage to stringer, but that pic shows a rotten stringer. You at least need to look and explore a little further back and forward to see the extent of the rot.

 

[Jakem]

Ya I think maybe I was just hopeful when it only looked like the top. I'll drill and see what I got. Thank you for the help

 

[JASinIL2006]

When tearing up the floor in my boat, the foam on top was nice and dry. The stuff down near the hull was wet and soaked. You really want to investigate the foam and stringer near the hull, not near the deck. Good luck!

 

[Jakem]

I dug right to the hull and foam was dry..I'm going to remove all the foam and redo what I gotta do. Wich probably will be all of it lol

 

[Jakem]

Suggestions on wood materials and best process appreciated

 

[Scott Danforth]

How To's and Other Great Information

Disclaimer iBoats has no control over external links contained in stickies and to be aware that links are fluid and may or may not work. 1. Coast Guard Safety Standards for Backyard Boat Builders Verified 2. Fiberglass Information Verified 3. Pouring Foam in's and out's Verified 4A. Basic...

forums.iboats.com

links 14, 15, 18, 2, 3, 4a, and 4b

as for the wood, exterior grade plywood, marine plywood or coosa

 

[Davetowz]

I have never seen a boat rot from top down, keep looking.

 

[Jakem]

Ya she's bone dry except 2 spots were I found wet foam and wet at the hull. And the wet spots are only about a 2 foot section

 

[Jakem]

I have found rott in my transom. I am going to strip it. Suggestions on rebuild with plywood laminated or coosa

 

[Scott Danforth]

Plywood lasted almost 50 years