Wet WOOD????

[Boilermaker]

<br />I opened a 5" hole (to install a deck plate for inspections)in the deck of my 1971 18ft WestWind to find the the stringer is saturated with water. It seems solid, but wet. Is this salvageable??? Or will the stringers have to come out??? There is NO floatation foam under the deck.<br />Any ideas on how to dry it??? At least with the 4 1/2" plate, now a little air can get in & out. >>>The boat has NOT been in the water since last season (I'm recovering from spinal sugery), but did have an instance when it filled up with salt water to the deck last Sept. I'm figuring that is when it got so wet. I am planning on removing the deck & rebuilding her next spring, but would like to get out for a little fishing this fall. The deck still feels solid!<br />ANY THOUGHTS HERE???<br />Thanks

 

[beermonsta]

Re: Wet WOOD????

I'm in the same boat as you Boilermaker (excuse the pun).<br /><br />I stripped the fibreglass off the top of my stringers and, to my suprise, they weren't rotten ,as i thought, but they were wet. I'm personally planning on leaving them exposed for a while to dry out. Then I'm going to epoxy some 1 by 2 presssure treated wood to the existing stringers ,to give them exta support, then fibreglass them in.<br /><br />Not sure if anyone else has any better suggestions?

 

[crab bait]

Re: Wet WOOD????

71 wet & good shape.. your lucky..!!<br /><br />salt water wet is a good thing.. only fresh causes rot.. <br /><br />an wet wood that stays wet probly wont rot.. it's rots after it's dry.. <br /><br />use an anti-freeze mix to prevent rot..<br /><br />google up dave carnell ( boat builder ) .. sit back an learn.. he'll lock you on..

 

[Boilermaker]

Re: Wet WOOD????

Well, it is a 71>>>but it sat, unused for the last 22 years. I was planning on pulling the floor up next year to install a belly gas tank & floatation foam. As of now, it has a 19 gal bow tank, and NO foam.<br />It was my dad's boat. He repowered it in '78 & only put about 150 hrs on the engine (Johnny 115)>>>My mechanic said the engine runs like brand new & compression is great.<br />So yep, I'm REAL LUCKY.

 

[Boilermaker]

Re: Wet WOOD????

one other thing, over at the Dave Carnell site (Thanks CrabBait), it said the following:<br />"<br />ENCAPSULATION<br /><br />You will note that I have not mentioned epoxy encapsulation; i.e., coating both sides of everything with several coats of epoxy resin. It has no advantages and is a waste of money and time that adds useless weight. It won't turn lauan underlayment into marine plywood, though it will make it cost nearly as much. It does not keep the water out of the wood boat that lives in the water and a dry sailed boat doesn't need it. "<br /><br />Well, the way this boat was built, It does NOT have full encapsulation of the wood!!! Its glassed, into the hull with heavy roving on the sides but the upper section of the stringers is bare wood, also the bottom of the plywood decking is not coated, just the topside of the deck. Maybe it is better NOT to fully encase the wood???