Should I repair now or can I wait to winter?

[lowbugetwake]

I have a 1984 Sea ray 197.. The deck has some rotting issues.. I havn't fallen through yet but I have had to put some wood under the seat mount. Its pretty much down the middle is the worst areas. I have pulled the carpet in a few places around the egdes and its all glassed real good and not soft. Everything around the engine feels real good also.. My Questions are:

Is it ok the wait and repair it in the winter?
I'm quessing the consoles will have to come out also?
What are some things I could do to find out how bad it is without tearing the boat apart?

thanks....

 

[Ezrider_92356]

Re: Should I repair now or can I wait to winter?

its hard to say without seeing it, but chances are it can probably wait till winter, but then again maby it cant. and chances are your be in for stringers and transom as well.

 

[JB]

Re: Should I repair now or can I wait to winter?

It's a sad tale, but a rotten boat is a rotten boat. It is dangerous.

Fix it.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Should I repair now or can I wait to winter?

agree!!!

 

[pigrge]

Re: Should I repair now or can I wait to winter?

I dont know about your year or not, but I have a 1982 Sea Ray Closed bow, that ran for quite some time with the deck around the seats the stringers in the ski locker and the bottom of the transom rotten. It is dangerous, and iit may create more problems by running it, but it will run. I would say if it is just you, go ahead, but if you have your family on board, make sure they either all have their life vests on at all times, or dont let them on.
Sea Rays are good boats that last a VERY long time, but unfortunately, speaking of mine, they did not glass everything in completely, the strings were glassed to the deck, and everything was put in the hull as a complete unit, so the strings were exposed to and water that got in and through the foam to the hull. I would venture to guess that yours is probably the same way and the strings are probably wet. And where there is moisture there is rot. Get ready for a big undertaking my friend. But as I was told in the very beginning, we here at Iboats are here for ya.
Please be safe!

 

[Driven1]

Re: Should I repair now or can I wait to winter?

For checking where the rot is you can tap around the floor with a hammer. Rotted areas will give a dull sound, good areas will give a sharp sound. You can also probe with a drill marked at the depth of the plywood. If you really want to get a good look at it you can just cut a hole in the floor using a skill saw set to the depth of the plywood. A good trick is to set the blade at a 45 degree angle towards the inside of the hole your cutting. This way when you're done the piece you cut out will go back in without falling through and you can re-seal it.

Summer or Winter? If you've got a heated Garage with a ventilation system winter's fine. If not, now's the time!

Good luck.