Deck repair

[Bruce Baker]

The deck under one of my lifeline stancheons is soft. It feels like the soft spot is only about 6 inches in diameter, but you never know until you look. Here is what I had in mind for a repair job.

1. Cut a large square in the non-stick decking--say 16 inches square. Large enough to accomodate any contingency below:
2. Cut out any wet balsa.
3. Cut a deep groove in dry balsa to hold resin in place.
4. Lay in layers of fiberglass and West System resin.
5. When dry, glue down non-stick decking on top.

Comments? My concern is that the new stuff should stick to the old stuff. In "This Old Boat" the author recommends just pouring the resin into the hole. I wonder about torque in the future.

Thanks
Bruce Baker
S/V GIT-R-DONE

[Sam Buschell]

I would tackle this one from the underside / inside cabin.
It will be hard to get things looking good agian from the top.
This also allows you to slowly cut away glass and balsa, minimizing the repair size.

[AJ Oliver]

I agree with Sam. Last winter I went in from the underside and re-cored the area around both cockpit winches and stancheons - about six square feet in all. Once I got the hang of it, it really was not too difficult.
One big advantage in going in from the underside is that you can reinforce the stancheon bases (backing plates, or whatever) as much as you wish without affecting the exterior appearance of the boat.
I'd pull those cockpit winches off and check under them for wet core while you're at it.
I am by no means an expert, but feel free to call if you have any questions 419-625-8654
AJ Oliver, # 445 "Class Struggle"
Sandusky Sailing Club

[Jim Kloss]

I've gone both ways. You can cut out beneath the stanchion and not worry about the external appearance; this is easier IF you can get at all the wet balsa using the bent nail trick If not, going from the underside is messier but better. I would use some balsa to replace the old core; if you go with solid glass / resin you'll get a hard spot and the gelcoat may crack at the edges.

Jim Kloss
s/v Ambivalence
S2 7.9 #8

[dave]

I would NEVER do this kind of repair in this spot from the top. Sure it's less messy because you're right side up but the finished job is like a billboard screaming "Look At ME"!!!!

I have done LOTS of upside down balsa core removal and repair, the largest job being the whole cabin top top behind the mast on a Merit 25 that was 25 square feet! Try doing that without help...................... it's no darn fun but it's the only way to do a really good job. The "nail and a drill" method is a joke for the most part because even on a small leak the wet/damp balsa area extends way past that which has already turned to compost. There's no free lunch. Any "quick" way to do balsa repair is pure rationalization, a way to get around the time and/or money to do the job right.

[Marionete]

Repairing this from inside the cabin is preferable and not difficult. I used a right angle grinding wheel to cut deep enough to cut through the cloth and after peeling away the old glass, used a chisel to remove the wet balsa. Instead of balsa, I used triple-cut closed cell foam - half inch will do. My boat had a tapered core toward the outer edge (toe rail) and then used filler to make up the difference. Foam or balsa is easy to work and can be tapered before or after installation.

I used the angle grinder to clean up and prep the underside of the no-skid, then applied some thickened epoxy to that surface as well as the top of the new core. Place the core on a layer of wax paper and then a layer of cushion foam and using a wood spindle (2X2) and small wood plate, apply pressure to the underside of the core until it begins to kick.

Remove the supporting brace and peel away the wax paper. It's a good idea to install some plastic sheeting along the outer hull area and bunks to catch any spill over - BEFORE you get started.

Prep an area about 1 inch larger than the repair by grinding the remaining exposed fiberglass to ensure a good bond before applying a layer of 1700 or 1708 bi-axial cloth. Use some contact glue to re-attach the headliner and you're all done.

My boat has some steel backing plates installed - measuring about 3 1/2 by 5 inches.

Good luck!

PS Eastern Burlap in Norfolk VA is a supplier of balsa and foam core as well as 1708 cloth.

[dave]

Something that many seem to overlook on lifelines and bases: 95% of the time the stanchions are loaded by people pulling INBOARD, as in a broach, etc. The outboard bolts, washers and nuts are mounted in solid glass [at least on all of the boats that I've seen] and that type of loading is all tension. The inboard edge of the stanchion base is over that tapered edge of the balsa [as described]. Putting an inboard load on the stanchions will depress and/or punch through the outer deck skin, so a backup plate is doing nothing at all on the INSIDE of the deck. The Bases need larger backup plates on the OUTSIDE to spread this load out and stop outer skin failures. Also, when repairing such areas my standard practice is to try and grind out all coring under the base so that there IS nothing to compress or go wrong. Solid glass in those areas works well and then even if the base bolts start to leak over time and use/abuse [crew!!!!! ] there's no core surrounded the bolts to pull absorb water. Going with solid glass and a large backup plate between the stanchion base and the outer deck skin will cure most ills. If you insist on putting a core back in there then over drill, fill and re-drill the holes to stop any water intrusion and to make compression struts to keep the area from collapsing just from over tightening the bolts and nuts. Use epoxy and high density filler to do the fill.

[Bruce Baker]

Thanks to everybody who posted. I pulled the boat out of the water last weekend, so I'm ready to start working on some projects.

Bruce

[dave]

Good luck and have fun down there!