Re: s.s.mayfloat
Hi Lukebm,<br /><br />I had bought a 77 Bayliner that had sat for awhile with the bow in a downward angle. Don't know if the foam got saturated from rain water, or if there had been a leak in the bottom. <br /><br />After launching the boat for the first time the leaning or list wasn't noticed right away. After several days in the water, and some rain storms is when I noticed she had a lean to her. I moved batteries, and other gear around to help level her out. Once I pulled her out of the water and noticed water just continued to leak out the drain hole at a steady drip, I knew I had a problem with water retention somewhere in the foam compartments.<br /><br />Under my bunk bed on the starboard side, I drilled a one and a quarter inch hole to expose the foam. That is when I confirmed my suspecions. The foam was wet. I hooked up my shop vac and put the hose in the hole. I did manage to get some water out, about a gallon or two after letting the vac run about an hour. Drilled some more holes and continued to get some more water out. But the main concern was how long has it been like this, well, it was a long time. My stringers had rotted....
<br /><br />Last winter/spring I ripped up my floor, removed everything down to the bottom of the boat/stringers. Redone the stringers out of fir, and reglassed them in. Then got the foam in the two part cans and refilled the voids.<br /><br />It is not a fun job, and it is a job that should be done professionally if your not handy with your hands. It is a job that tests your ability to refrain from itching.<br /><br />I suggest maybe going to the search function of this forum and type in stringers and or foam. That way you can research what others have done.<br /><br />I would first try to find out to make sure that it is just not an oversight of something that is heavy sitting on the one side of the boat. Make sure your gear is equally distributed throughout the boat.<br /><br />It is a serious and saddning thing to know your boat has this type of problem because it can cause the structure of the boat to be in jeopardy.<br /><br />Sorry I didn't respond earlier, but I have teenagers that seem to think the computer is just for them. I get my time early in the morning.<br /><br />Hope this helps answer some of your questions......SS
