wet foam starcraft starship 2000 db 1997

[dahcyarg]

I found wet foam on my 1997 20' starcraft starship 2000 db deckboat. Found wet foam after problems to plane out. Found wet foam under bow boat is very bow heavy so I'm trying to remove the deck to get to the foam and plan to replace with buoyancy billets of foam block from lowes. I'm in progress of removing all screws under the rub rail and I'm wondering how to get the cap proped up to scoop out and replace foam. I've never done this before so any input would be great. Wondering how hard it will be to prop up the cap to do this.

 

[oops!]

Re: wet foam starcraft starship 2000 db 1997

hi.....welcome to iboats......

are we talking tinny here?....or a glass boat.

after you get all the screws /rivets out the cap will lift......there should be some adheasive between the cap hull joint.

take the cap off and set it aside. usuallu this is done with about 5 buddies and a case of beer. i slip 2x4s between the cap and hull and we all grab an end and walk it off....
(i just googled the boat....you might have to make a make shift crane to get the deck off.

of course...this means you will have to undo the electrical....steering and the shift cables......but that is not hard to do.

the big issue here is not wet foam.....but how did the water get in there ?......

it looks like a glass boat......after you dug all the foam out, look at the hull...take a bright quartz light and lay it on the ground under the boat....then look inside the boat
look for any holes or weak spots in the hull....if you find any.....re glass them.

if you cant find any....start looking at the underside of the deck....look for water thru spots......even take a hose and shoot water on the deck and look for where the water getting thru.

when you re foam the boat......make sure that you have proper water channels ....so that any hull water will drain to the bilge.....
it is possible that the foam that is in the boat is actually structural....so your idea of the foam billets might not work.

in the link in my sig........there is detailed instructions on how to foam a boat properly, with out worry of wet foam again.....i think i typed it out on page 167 ...or around there somewhere.

when you re cap the boat.....make sure you put lots of sealant inside the hull part of the cap.....a major place for water intrusion is thru the cap hull joint..
use paint stir sticks to wedge the cap back on the hull

cheers
oops

 

[dahcyarg]

Re: wet foam starcraft starship 2000 db 1997

So I had another thought since the back half of the boats foam is all glassed in and I have the bow with fishing seats and live well that I would have to disconnect to raise the cap. I'm thinking that I could cut two holes in the bow deck to gain access to the foam and install two large inspection ports when I'm done has anyone done anything like that since I could access the front foam that way.

 

[oops!]

Re: wet foam starcraft starship 2000 db 1997

its not just the bow thats wet bud.......

ALL THE FOAM IS WET

if the water was coming in from the bow....it will travel to the back of the boat.......

your entire deck has to come up.....

you could gain acess to the bow by digging out some foam......but chances are its all wet....so it all has to come out or it will infect the new foam