Waterlogged advise

[Moody Blue]

Perhaps someone can offer some advise on a fiberglass foam cored boat that seems to be waterlogged. The boat is similar in style to a boston whaler. I was thinking of cutting away the floor in panels, removing the old foam, pouring new 2-part foam in place and glassing the floor panels back in place. Am I way off base here ? ANY help you might offer is greatly appreciated.<br /><br />Rod

 

[Jack Shellac]

Re: Waterlogged advise

Well RodC, you're taking the right approach. That stuff will never dry out. It's a big job, but not too complicated if you have time to put into it. If there are any wooden stringers under the floor, expect them to be rotted too. Give some thought to how it got wet, too. You don't want to do all that work and be right back where you started. Good luck.

 

[jmattor]

Re: Waterlogged advise

Jack is right on about the wood issues you are likely to encounter. You didn't say exactly what boat/model we are talking about here -many have duplicated the Whaler "look" but not the construction schedule.<br />If the hull was penetrated below the water line and the boat was exposed to constant water running in and getting pumped out by the bilge pump, the flotation foam may have taken on some water in the first layers in contact with the water, but the wood will soak it up, swell, dry out...soak it up again and continue to get heavier.<br />I repaired a 16 foot Whaler that had fallen off it's lift in a violent storm and took on quite a bit of water unattended for weeks. The hole was pretty big - 18" - and all the surrounding foam was scooped out and replaced with new 2lb closed cell foam.<br />She's as good as new and still in service four years later with no problems.

 

[Moody Blue]

Re: Waterlogged advise

Thanks for the input. This is a great forum for novices like myself who want to get into boating. I've learned alot just brousing over the different discussions. The boat is a 13ft 6" Barkley Young which was produced in Canada? during the late 70's till late 80's. From what I have been told, it is just a foam core with F/G inner and outer skins. What is the likelyhood of there being wood in there somewhere? There is a gouge in the hull, 3" long x 1/4" wide that someone has filled with silicone. That is being cut out and repaired properly. Am I better off to cut the floor on a flat surface or in the corner where the floor wraps up onto the walls? . The transom has a 40HP mariner 1993 model mounted to it but I don't have any confidence the thru bolts were sealed properly. Is it a big job to remove the motor to inspect the mounts? It weighs about 200Ib's. Thanks again.