My deck has rotted in a few places as has a bulkhead and they have to be replaced. I'm starting with a 20" x 30" section of the deck shown in the pictures. The deck is 20" wide from the stringer to the gunwales and according to my moisture meter (picked up on ebay for $50) it's rotted up to 3 inches from the gunwale under the discolored area of the carpet in the picture attached.
I plan to remove the upper layer skin in one piece and I am hoping that the lower skin can remain intact as I remove the rot. There are some decisions to make which are probably obvious to someone who's done this before but not to me.
I have to decide whether to remove the core and skin up to the gunwale or leave the relatively good 3 inches of core and skin in place. If I leave the 3" strip in place along the gunwale, I can laminate the new core and top skin to it. If I go all the way to the gunwale, I'll have to probably do some grinding and tab to the gunwale which seems harder. If I leave the 3" strip in place, I have nothing underneath supporting the joint and I don't know if the lamination will be strong enough to support the weight The repair spot is right where we would climb into the boat. If I go all the way to the gunwale, I've got more support but it seems as if it will be harder to tab into the gunwale. Usually, the harder way is the better way but I don't know in this case if it's necessary.
The opposite side sits on the stringer so that will be the main support. The remaining sides probably will have no support and will just be laminated in place. One side runs a few inches under a seat and the other side is under the engine cover.
I also have to decide whether to re-use the existing skin or to create a new one. The existing one is just 1/32 or 1/16" thick. Doesn't seem like much - but I've never done this before except on a car.
Today, I'm going to buy a sheet of 3/8" hydrotec marine plywood then i'll remove the top skin. The hydrotec is cheaper and it's going to be glassed in anyway.
The pictures show the deck before working on it with the carpeting showing discoloration above the problem area, the top skin with the carpet peeled back, and the thoroughly rotted core.
On moisture meters:
I'm including a picture of my moisture meter maxed out after reading this spot. Sounding with a hammer told me just as much as the meter on this spot but the meter helps with the borderline areas. Interpreting the results at the top and bottom of the scale is easy - it's completely dry or completely wet. Where it reads in the middle of the scale is a toss-up and the instructions and few articles I have seen don't have good answers about what to conclude. I'm considering drilling some holes and injecting some rot doctor where spots have middle to high readings and keep my eye on the low to middle readings.
I plan to remove the upper layer skin in one piece and I am hoping that the lower skin can remain intact as I remove the rot. There are some decisions to make which are probably obvious to someone who's done this before but not to me.
I have to decide whether to remove the core and skin up to the gunwale or leave the relatively good 3 inches of core and skin in place. If I leave the 3" strip in place along the gunwale, I can laminate the new core and top skin to it. If I go all the way to the gunwale, I'll have to probably do some grinding and tab to the gunwale which seems harder. If I leave the 3" strip in place, I have nothing underneath supporting the joint and I don't know if the lamination will be strong enough to support the weight The repair spot is right where we would climb into the boat. If I go all the way to the gunwale, I've got more support but it seems as if it will be harder to tab into the gunwale. Usually, the harder way is the better way but I don't know in this case if it's necessary.
The opposite side sits on the stringer so that will be the main support. The remaining sides probably will have no support and will just be laminated in place. One side runs a few inches under a seat and the other side is under the engine cover.
I also have to decide whether to re-use the existing skin or to create a new one. The existing one is just 1/32 or 1/16" thick. Doesn't seem like much - but I've never done this before except on a car.
Today, I'm going to buy a sheet of 3/8" hydrotec marine plywood then i'll remove the top skin. The hydrotec is cheaper and it's going to be glassed in anyway.
The pictures show the deck before working on it with the carpeting showing discoloration above the problem area, the top skin with the carpet peeled back, and the thoroughly rotted core.
On moisture meters:
I'm including a picture of my moisture meter maxed out after reading this spot. Sounding with a hammer told me just as much as the meter on this spot but the meter helps with the borderline areas. Interpreting the results at the top and bottom of the scale is easy - it's completely dry or completely wet. Where it reads in the middle of the scale is a toss-up and the instructions and few articles I have seen don't have good answers about what to conclude. I'm considering drilling some holes and injecting some rot doctor where spots have middle to high readings and keep my eye on the low to middle readings.
