New member, cracks in deck.. is she saveable?

[310jag]

Hey gang,

New to the site, and wanted to start posting. I've recently acquired a 1983 built 17' Warrior, with a 1984 built Johnson 50hp (J50BELCRM). My grandfather had it since new, and used it very often every year up until four years ago. It was covered and stored outside, but very well maintained. It's mine now, and despite being dirty, it appears to be in good shape. Mechanically it's good, but I still plan on doing the usual tune up and fluid change.

I've found a couple cracks and a soft spot that I'm really loosing sleep over. I'm hoping my fun is not sunk before I even get it into the water. I've attached some pics that hopefully will show their location and severity.
There is a crack on either side, same location, same severity. They are not very visible unless you apply a little bit of pressure to the deck, and then the crack begins to separate. Also, moving towards the stern, on the deck, about 2" before you get to the storage area (where the fuel tank and batteries are), the floor goes soft. I'm assuming this is the result of a rotted stringer or other substructure. Now, I'm not shy about tearing into it, but if it something that just isn't worth fixing, I need to know. Can I lay some new fiberglass/resin into these areas to reinforce them and help them from getting worse?
I hope you guys can give me some guidance on this.

Also keep in mind, in the last pic, I'm applying a little pressure to the deck to help show the crack.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated, thanks gang!

-Wes

 

[bear_69cuda]

Re: New member, cracks in deck.. is she saveable?

Welcome to iboats!

Well, that crack isn't a big deal, as long as water hasn't migrated and rotted out the deck. Still everything is repairable... Many great threads of information. If you're at all handy, and you love this boat, go for it!

Remember

BOAT = Bust Out Another Thousand!

 

[bear_69cuda]

Re: New member, cracks in deck.. is she saveable?

In regards to the soft spot. You're gonna have to cut it out and replace with proper material... Not that big of a deal... Now if the stingers are rotted, then off comes the deck... But still not gonna kill ya!

 

[Rickairmedic]

Re: New member, cracks in deck.. is she saveable?

Wes I am pretty new here myself but I would say that boat looks to be in great condition aaaaand its was your Granddads favorite place to be for several years . I would say those 2 thing make it worth saving. I have a 64 Crestliner that has no ( Familly sentamental value ) that needs alooooooot more work and I plan to do it all myself . Welcome to Iboats there are alot of peaple here with alot of knowledge of boat " saving " I think your in the right place .



Rick

 

[Gelcoat-jon]

Re: New member, cracks in deck.. is she saveable?

Wes, Welcome to I-Boats. I agree with Rick. this was your Grandfathers, it is worth fixing/saving. Listen heres what to do. If the floor has numerous soft spots, then you might as well replace whole floor. Not a big boat Easy Job. Dirty but easy. As far as existing cracks, if the area around them is not soft , grind out delaminations [cracks]. layup 1 layer of 1708 biaxal easy to work with], or woven roven. Then 1 1/2 mat with poly resin. Aquart would be plenty of resin for both sides. Grind once cured and fair out. Brush on gelcoat. Again check the floor for other soft spots. We'll quide you threw that at that time. Good luck Rick. Happy and SAFE Boating

 

[drewpster]

Re: New member, cracks in deck.. is she saveable?

Here is what I would do. First take everything off the deck. Remove everything sitting on the deck and attempt to gain access to every part of it from bow to stern. Then inspect every square inch of it including all the corners and in every area you can get to.
In the areas where it is obviously soft, cut through the upper layer of fiberglass just deep enough so that the glass can be removed from the underlying core. It is likely that the deck is fiberglass covered plywood. If the wood is wet, the fiberglass will probably peel right off the wood. Keep cutting the fiberglass away until you can get a good look at the wood underneath. Be careful cutting. The point is to avoid cutting all the way through the hull. You just want to remove the glass on top. It is best to start cutting from the center of the deck outward removing small sections as you go. It is possible that the damage is localized so go slow.
As you remove the glass you will be able to see how extensive the damage is. Pull out any rotten wood and if possible go all the way in to the bilge under the deck so you can get a look at the stringer system.
On the outside of the transom (or the inside if you can access it) use a drill bit to inspect its core as well. It is best to do this from the inside if you can access it to prevent having to color match the gelcoat when you repair the holes. Start at the bottom of the transom and drill into it just enough to penetrate the fiberglass. Start at the bottom and drill a couple of holes. If water is evident use a probe to feel inside the holes for soft wood. Do not just check one or two areas. It is better to check areas close to any penetrations that go into the transom. (garboard drain, engine mounting bolts, tow hook locations ect...)
If you are real lucky you will find the damage in localized areas around the deck. If you are really lucky you will find that the transom is dry.
The worst case scenario is that all the cores have been compromised and are wet or rotting. But fear not, even an extensive repair is not out of reach if you are game. The best case would be that you have some localized areas in need of repair which makes things more simple but still need real attention. Resist the temptation of simply grinding the glass back and recoating it with new glass as a stop gap measure. If you have some serious core problems the boat can be dangerous to use. Major failures do occur.
The point is to do a thorough assessment of the damage without causing more in the process. Do not be afraid to cut some glass it can be repaired, and it is worth it to make sure the boat is safe. Just avoid cutting at the outside edges of the deck. Work from the center out, and cut shallow.

 

[drewpster]

Re: New member, cracks in deck.. is she saveable?

P.S. Be sure to follow safety guidelines when working with fiberglass. Use protective clothing, safety glasses and a respirator when cutting fiberglass. Fiberglass inhaled in the lungs cannot be absorbed by the body. BE SAFE!

 

[310jag]

Re: New member, cracks in deck.. is she saveable?

Guys, THANK YOU! I can't tell you how much I appreciate your quick and detailed responses. I wanted to add another pic, and say that the entire storage area underneath the stern seat is soft. It isn't just one small area, it's the floor of the entire compartment. Every other inch of the deck is rock solid, except that rear area. I've walked it from edge to edge, putting a good load on it everywhere, and can't find another weak spot. The raised platform where the seat is between the two padded storage compartment lids is solid as a rock, too.

What throws me off is that it goes from solid to soft at a specific point that you could literally draw a line over, that goes from port to starboard (see pic below). Is there a chance that this area was never supported, even when she was new?

 

[NickAndJena]

Re: New member, cracks in deck.. is she saveable?

There's no doubt that she can be fixed, looks to be in good shape. There is a slight chance that the deck wasn't supported there when she was new, but keep this mind. The crack has probably allowed some water to penetrate the wood below the fiberglass. If that is the case you most likely have some wood rot forming, and that only means one thing... Get it out before it spreads to the rest of the boat.

I'm sure someone here is going to say this, so I'll just get it out there. You should consider drilling a couple holes in the "soft spots" and see if you hit dry wood under the fiberglass. Of course you'll want to seal that up after you do the inspection. I'm a total newb here at iboats, but this boat is definitely worth fixing (you know that), I would thoroughly inspect it before calling it good. It may actually save you from even more work later on.

Just my $0.02

 

[danond]

Re: New member, cracks in deck.. is she saveable?

Get out the saw, start cutting it all out. There's no easy way to say it - you need to rebuild that thing, get it solid, then go haul in fish with it until you're an old guy.