Wet foam removal help

[wf4891]

Hi all, I have a 1993 mako 195 dual console that I’ve been slowly repairing and restoring while I still use it each year. I’ve been coming on here for years for researching information to learn most of what I’ve done to the boat already And can’t thank everyone enough for this goldmine of info this site has. So this years project was to replace the inboard gas tank and all plumbing and wiring associated. After pulling the deck cover I noticed all the foam around the tank was SOAKED. I pulled the old tank and have removed all that foam from the tank well and noticed the soaked foam goes much further as there are 4 holes about 2-1/2” diameter in the bottom I assume are used to pour the foam initially.my question is if I start cutting out the tank well to remove and replace foam, are there obvious signs of these side walls being structural other than obvious large stringers or bulkheads? Would it be a bad idea to not replace them and leave this area more accessible for the future? Or is it something I should just open holes large enough to remove all the foam and repair the holes afterwards? Any help is greatly appreciated thanks everyone

 

[Chris51280]

Wet foam indicates most likely also wet stringers. Is you tank aluminum? Wet foam around aluminum is a bad thing and will lead to corrosion on the aluminum.
Can you send pictures of how this currently looks.
Stringers are structural and if not replaced or repaired your boat will fold so to speak

 

[wf4891]

The old tank was aluminum and I am replacing with plastic. It has been corroded for some time and water was weeping into it through the top which is where I believe the water in the foam came from the top as well. I will get some better pictures later this evening

 

[tpenfield]

A few good pictures from a decent perspective will help folks answer your questions. Typically the stringers that straddle the tank are the main stringers (quite structural).

 

[wf4891]

Thanks Ted, I will get some up here ASAP. The ones I took don’t really show anything but a mess of foam chunks. There’s also a section in front that looks like someone before me started to cut and then stopped after cutting all the down both sides but like I said I’ll get plenty of pictures up this evening

 

[wf4891]

all sides and bottom seem to be just 1/4" thick fiberglass aside from the obvious structural beam down the middle. I don't mind getting dirty and scraping from underneath as long as I can avoid cutting any of the deck. if cutting the sides and bottom out is the way to go im also worried about being able to reach the seams behind to patch them back in if it is necessary and I find the edges of the deck around the access aren't strong enough without the extra support it adds