Wet stringer

Coors

Captain
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
3,367
Way up in the cuddy of my '88 Fourwinns 205, I had a soggy floor.
Cutting it open (2' by 3'), I found rotten 1/2 ply(covered by 1/4 poly).
The perimeter after that involves the ply sitting directly on a fiberglass hull chine, so I'm not working on anything beyond that at this time. The drainage was designed so if water got on the carpet in that low area, it drained to under the fuel tank area, where it dumps into the bilge, in the aft and the pump handles it.
Any water that seeps through the floor stayed in the foam, as there is no drainage through the small horizontal bulkhead that the drain went to, to reach the bilge.
The wet foam I pulled out was maybe 5% full of water(but enough to keep the ply wet) I put some of this foam underwater in a jar for a week(after letting it air dry), and it won't absorb water; I saw it do it under the floor-what is this?
Anyhow, the ply stringer(that runs right down the center of the keel), which has about 3/4" poly with mat on each side, was open at the top in several places. After 2 days, it seems dry, and hard, like new. Do I still need gitrot, or just let it dry and cover the top of it?
It dried, and is just as hard as regular ply now. Do I even need the ply, with the poly so thick on the sides?
 

gcboat

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 29, 2007
Messages
1,822
Re: Wet stringer

The interior wood of your stringer system really is nothing more than a form for the exterior poly shell. The majority of your strength is in the poly and glass mat. I do have a little frown concerning the existing wood. After a couple of days it may feel and look dry but the only way to see if it dry throughout would be to drill a small hole into it. Look at what comes out on the drill bit, dry wood or wet wood? As far as Git Rot is concerned I don't think it is quite the stuff they make it sound. Nothing more than a two part resin that really doesn't saturate the wood really good before kicking off. I like this stuff - CPES http://www.rotdoctor.com/
As far as the foam is concerned - who knows? Always been mystical stuff to me anyhow. :D
 

Coors

Captain
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
3,367
Re: Wet stringer

Thanks, that makes sense
So , dremel what I can out, and inject diluted epoxy.
 

gcboat

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
May 29, 2007
Messages
1,822
Re: Wet stringer

To make absolutely certain that the wood is dry you'd need to test with a moisture meter. Once wood rot starts it is almost impossible to stop. Just because you can't "feel" it wet doesn't mean that 1/2" down it isn't. By just injecting "diluted" epoxy you may of done absolutely nothing but given yourself a sense of false security. It won't bond to wet or even damp wood. It will harden O.K. but won't stop anything from traveling further into the stringer. Anything more than 9 to 11% on a meter is too much. The best way to dry is air movement. But you will need to open another hole so the air can get out, just blowing air on it ain't gonna' help that much. I think some 'exploratory' holes drilled around that site would be in order. Like I mentioned before look at the shavings coming off the drill bit / dry=good, wet=bad. Pretty obvious. The holes can later be filled with any good polyester or epoxy pour. Just bite the bullet and see how far this has gone. Once done you'll pretty much know where you stand on the issue.
Wish I had better news. :(
 

Solittle

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Apr 28, 2002
Messages
7,518
Re: Wet stringer

Wood rot is a fungus and unless the fungus is killed or removed you will be wasting your time and money.

Do a search on antifreeze - yes automotive antifreeze will kill the fungus.
 
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