I do preservation work on old homes (i.e. window sash, etc.) and see
this fairly often. The wood will dry, but will still be spongy. There
are products out there called wood consolidators or plasticizers that
can fill the damaged cellulose structure in the wood with a polymer
which once dry will be 'hard' again. This surface will be able to hold
adhesives or finishes, where the soft wood would not.

This is viable assuming there aren't many, or significant voids in the
wood where this initial stage of rot has occurred. More advanced rot
is indicated by cracking and checking across the grain as opposed to
just along the wood grain. If this happens, the best course would be
to remove the rotten wood and replace it with a 'dutchman' which is a
slightly more entailed process.

See this link for an example of a dutchman:

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/know...0938-4,00.html

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Keith


Paul Fearnley wrote:
I have stripped the varnish from my spars to replace with Sikkens
Marine. In one or two areas where the varnish was damaged the surface
of the wood appears a bit damp and soft; not sufficiently so to believe
that it is rot. When I sand it it tends to "tear".

Will this dry out if left, or do I need to do something before applying
Sikkens?

Any advice grafefully received.