Water Logged Boat

[Tucker2]

Water logged boat question??? <br />I just bought a 18 foot fiberglass powerboat from the father inlaw. It's a 1979 Apollo. It has a big V-8 and a 7 horse trolling motor on the back. <br />It rides way deep in the back. He said it's always been this way.<br /><br />I talked with a neighbor and he said he bet it had water under the floor boards that was weighting it down. He instructed me to drill a couple small holes in the floor and check and see if the foam was wet. He said it acts like a sponge since is open celled foam.<br /><br />I did as he instructed and the foam is wet as a sponge. It's wet like a kitchen sponge you just dipped in the sink. I don't think the boat leaks form the hull. I'm guessing it's wet from the years being exposed to the elements during the summer month it was docked at the lake.<br /><br />Here is my question....<br /><br />What can be done to fix this????? <br /><br />Any way to dry this out without ripping the foor out????<br /><br />Any input would be much appreciated!!!

 

[foxjohnc03]

Re: Water Logged Boat

Im afraid that the only option you have is to tear it out and build a new one. Once the wood and foam are wet, they are nearly impossible to dry. Your floor may not be the only soaked and rotted part of the boat, as your transom and stringers are also wood. I'd just use it for the rest of the summer and rip it out during the winter.

 

[lakeman1999]

Re: Water Logged Boat

The wood will dry out, if kept out of the weather, and moving air allowed to contact the outer surface of it. The foam will never dry out, you can take a piece of it and let it lay in the hot sun forever, and it will not dry out, it seems like the water can get in, but cannot get out. The only way to have dry foam is to strip out the old, and replace it.

 

[mathiasmorgan]

Re: Water Logged Boat

Yup... these guys are correct.. it will never dry out.. I ran into this problem as well... I tried everything including using a compressor (which delivers hot dry air) through it non-stop for a wek... made zero difference.. You'll have to yank the floor out and replace the foam. I would suggest not waiting.. if the foam is water logged then the stringers and other wood parts are wet and starting to rot. The longer you wait the more extreme the damage.. <br />Sorry... George

 

[Tucker2]

Re: Water Logged Boat

Looks like everyone agrees the only way to dry it out is by removing it. <br />What is the best/easiest way??? <br />Cut small holes all over or tear out the whole floor???<br />How do you replace the foam or do you??<br />If you do replace it what should I use??<br /><br />Thanks very much for the advise guys.

 

[foxjohnc03]

Re: Water Logged Boat

I recently replaced the floor in my 14' Aluminum starcraft mariner. I used 20 oz coke bottles filled with compressed air as flotation. It isnt too easy to waterlog them. I used 3/4 inch CCA treated plywood covered with fiberglass mat & resin. Is holding up real nice.

 

[JasonJ]

Re: Water Logged Boat

If he says that it has always been that way, that means it got waterlogged in the first few seasons of its existence, and has been wet ever since. There is a high probability that there is structural rot issues, which means ripping out floor, stringers, and transom and glassing in new structure, and using 2 part closed cell foam. Go to Project Boats, and do a search on Project Skanky Beast, and behold the joys of tearing down a nasty old tri-hull to its outer shell and rebuilding it into a center console rig for about $2000 including original purchase cost, and the many hours of itchy misery. Would I do it again? Absolutley.....<br /><br />By the way, I see you are a neighbor.