Water in hull and foam

[sebas54]

Hi, I have a 1980 Aquasport cuddy cabin that has always leaned to one side. This spring I've had enough of it leaning so I cut a hole in the back left corner. I found foam that was moist with water. I removed all that I could till I was at the fiber glass. There was a pool of water under the foam so I sucked it out with a vac. I covered the hole and installed an access hatch. It rained the next day, so I went to check if water accumulated. It did. I am thinking of putting bilge there but I would like to know where the water is coming from. It is out of the water and has been. Could the water be draining from the surrounding foam that is next to it?

Without having the foam, will this now be dangerous? (I don't plan on sinking)

Any advise or suggestions are greatly appreciated.


Thank you.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Water in hull and foam

Usually what happens when foam is water logged is the surrounding wood structures rot. That would be the stringers, transom and deck. Assuming your boat was built with traditional glass covered wood structures, now that the foam is out, you should be able to drill into the stringers and transom and check for wet/rotting wood.

 

[sebas54]

Re: Water in hull and foam

Stringer are fine and so is the deck and transom. There is no rot. It does smell like mildew or rot but everything is solid.


Thanks

 

[proshadetree]

Re: Water in hull and foam

If you have soaked foam you have wet stringers.Its like putting your boat on the bottom of the lake and letting it sit.If stringers are wet they will them rot.Maybe you caught it soon enough but you cant dry out the foam.Ive seen it tried but never seen it done.I had a section 6in deep and 15 to 20 wide out of my boat in shop for about 6 months it was still wet in the middle when we broke it apart.Its just the nature of the beast.

 

[Mark42]

Re: Water in hull and foam

It is entirely possible that the boat was well built and the stringers were fully glassed in. In that case, water would build up and sit in pools.

My guess is that the water came from two places. One is that it could have drained from surrounding foam, and that is likely. Two, it rained, and water seeped into that area, same as it has in the past that caused the wet foam in the first place.

Its important to keep the boat covered, but I'm sure you know that.

It would be a good idea to put a hatch in the other side and check the foam there too. If its wet, remove it too.

 

[proshadetree]

Re: Water in hull and foam

1980 Aquasport cuddy cabin that has always leaned to one side Almost 30 years old and has always leaned just dont sound good.Well built or not water can find a way in.Ive seen new boats sit in the water for a while and have some water in the bilge.

 

[sebas54]

Re: Water in hull and foam

Thanks for all the helpful info. I know that the stringer closer to the bow are fine but in the stern i am not sure. I do know that every time I have to drill the transom it is hard and dry. Thinking about it, I had the upleasent experience of hitting a huge rock at close to 30mph last season. the rock launched the boat in the air and it landed on the rock which was bigger than the boat. The boat held up fine. There was a couple of scratches and there was some fiberglass missing but the boat is solid. I waited till high tide and made it back to my slip. The next couple of days I dried it and repaired it. There was no major damage. Does this say anything about the condition of the boat, the stringer, stern, and transom?

Thanks

 

[Robert D]

Re: Water in hull and foam

You hit a rock, launched into the air and had to wait till high tide? Wet foam...leaning? The only proper answer for peace of mind and safety, is to tear up the sole, and replace the stringers. The water that keeps showing up is draining from the rest of the wet foam that's still under there....and possible from the saturated stringers as well. I still have several chunks of wet foam I tore out last fall, sitting in the garage drying. If you stick a finger 1 inch into them, they are still wet. Keep in mind I heat this garage to 70 degree's all winter. That old foam is the wrong stuff to use.