Wayne.B wrote in
:

On Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:00:02 -0600, Geoff Schultz
wrote:

It's fairly obvious that the coring is soaked. How do I go about
drying this out before sealing the leak and replacing porthole?

It's a tough repair which has been discussed on "rec.boats.building"
from time to time in the past. You might be able to find some of the
old threads by searching Goole Groups.

Basically the core is damaged beyond repair where it has gotten wet.
As others have said there are three basic methods:

1. Remove the top skin, replace/relaminate the core, replace the top
skin.

2. Remove the bottom skin, repeat as above.

3. Drill a series of holes, dry with heat and/or a vacuum pump, fill
holes with thickened epoxy, perform cosmetic fix on drill holes.

Method 2 requires working from below which is difficult but may be
easier cosmetically if the repair can be covered by the head liner.

Method 3 is relatively quick and easy but long term integreity is
suspect and the holes can be difficult to cover. The extent of core
damage can be determined by examining the drilling residue.

Method 1 is scary but probably yields the best long term out come.
Some people have reported success making a thin cut around the
perimeter of the repair using something like a Fein Multimaster to
make the cut; lifting off the outer skin intact; and then replacing it
at the end, leaving only the cut line to be patched up cosmetically.
One difficulty is predetermining the extent of the core damage.

Everyone, thanks for the input. Unfortunately I realized early on that
this was going to be a miserable job.

The good news is that it appears that the wet core is limited to an area
of about 1 sq ft. I'm going to drill some more exploritory holes this
weekend.

I placed a photo of the area on my web site. Note that it shows the
boat with the headliner removed, but that's a separate question. The
photo is at http://www.geoffschultz.org/temp/20081031_155154.jpg

I'm thinking of going with method 2 due to small size of the effected
area and accessability.


-- Geoff
www.GeoffSchultz.org

"Geoff Schultz" wrote in message
.. .

Everyone, thanks for the input. Unfortunately I realized early on that
this was going to be a miserable job.

The good news is that it appears that the wet core is limited to an area
of about 1 sq ft. I'm going to drill some more exploritory holes this
weekend.

I placed a photo of the area on my web site. Note that it shows the
boat with the headliner removed, but that's a separate question. The
photo is at http://www.geoffschultz.org/temp/20081031_155154.jpg

I'm thinking of going with method 2 due to small size of the effected
area and accessability.


-- Geoff
www.GeoffSchultz.org

Since you have to take the headliner off anyway, why not go for the Method 1
but cut out the area from underneath the deck rather than on top?
You can then get all the rotten core out and replace it, and then the repair
will finally be hidden under your replaced headlining.
If you cut out a rectangular section with a precision tool to get at the
core, as someone else has suggested, it will be a simple matter to fix it
back even though you will be working overhead.
I did not really agree with the original suggestion that Method 1 is
necessarily _expensive_. Seems fairly simple compared with some of the other
methods suggested and has the great advantage that you know you have got all
the rotten stuff out and replaced it. No messing about wondering whether you
have got it all out and/or dried it all out.

On 2008-11-06 10:27:31 -0500, "Edgar" said:

Since you have to take the headliner off anyway, why not go for the Method 1
but cut out the area from underneath the deck rather than on top?

Watch that. Not only is working up underneath wet fiberglass an
invitation to a nasty clean-up job, but I found that our "underside" is
thicker than the outer skin. Had I disturbed that, I'd have had a
really big job on my hands.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Jere Lull wrote:

On 2008-11-06 10:27:31 -0500, "Edgar" said:

Since you have to take the headliner off anyway, why not go for the
Method 1
but cut out the area from underneath the deck rather than on top?


Watch that. Not only is working up underneath wet fiberglass an
invitation to a nasty clean-up job, but I found that our "underside" is
thicker than the outer skin. Had I disturbed that, I'd have had a really
big job on my hands.


Totall agreement with you on that one, Jere.

I've done one small (stantion area) repair from under.

That's the only time in years of working with resin that I actually
had resin in my hair!

Yech...

--

Richard

(remove the X to email)

On Nov 6, 4:56*pm, cavelamb himself wrote:
Jere Lull wrote:
On 2008-11-06 10:27:31 -0500, "Edgar" said:

Since you have to take the headliner off anyway, why not go for the
Method 1
but cut out the area from underneath the deck rather than on top?

Watch that. Not only is working up underneath wet fiberglass an
invitation to a nasty clean-up job, but I found that our "underside" is
thicker than the outer skin. Had I disturbed that, I'd have had a really
big job on my hands.

Totall agreement with you on that one, Jere.

I've done one small (stantion area) repair from under.

That's the only time in years of working with resin that I actually
had resin in my hair!

Yech...

--

Richard

(remove the X to email)

Its gonna be Messy whatever you do.
Its been my policy that water flows into boats from the weather side
to the inside. If i can help it i never crack the finish on the
weather side. One little pin hole means you are at it again in a few
years.

On Thu, 6 Nov 2008 16:27:31 +0100, "Edgar"
wrote:


"Geoff Schultz" wrote in message
. ..

Everyone, thanks for the input. Unfortunately I realized early on that
this was going to be a miserable job.

The good news is that it appears that the wet core is limited to an area
of about 1 sq ft. I'm going to drill some more exploritory holes this
weekend.

I placed a photo of the area on my web site. Note that it shows the
boat with the headliner removed, but that's a separate question. The
photo is at http://www.geoffschultz.org/temp/20081031_155154.jpg

I'm thinking of going with method 2 due to small size of the effected
area and accessability.


-- Geoff
www.GeoffSchultz.org

Since you have to take the headliner off anyway, why not go for the Method 1
but cut out the area from underneath the deck rather than on top?
You can then get all the rotten core out and replace it, and then the repair
will finally be hidden under your replaced headlining.
If you cut out a rectangular section with a precision tool to get at the
core, as someone else has suggested, it will be a simple matter to fix it
back even though you will be working overhead.
I did not really agree with the original suggestion that Method 1 is
necessarily _expensive_. Seems fairly simple compared with some of the other
methods suggested and has the great advantage that you know you have got all
the rotten stuff out and replaced it. No messing about wondering whether you
have got it all out and/or dried it all out.



Go down to your local yard and ask them how much it is going to cost?

I'm so conditioned to my neighbor boats paying someone to change their
oil I automatically assume that all the other boaters are going to
contract their work out :-)
Bruce-in-Bangkok
(correct Address is bpaige125atgmaildotcom)

On Thu, 6 Nov 2008 16:27:31 +0100, "Edgar"
wrote:

Since you have to take the headliner off anyway, why not go for the Method 1
but cut out the area from underneath the deck rather than on top?

Method 1 from the under side is method 2. :-)

On Nov 6, 5:30*am, Geoff Schultz wrote:
Wayne.B wrote :





On Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:00:02 -0600, Geoff Schultz
wrote:

It's fairly obvious that the coring is soaked. *How do I go about
drying this out before sealing the leak and replacing porthole?

It's a tough repair which has been discussed on "rec.boats.building"
from time to time in the past. * You might be able to find some of the
old threads by searching Goole Groups.

Basically the core is damaged beyond repair where it has gotten wet.
As others have said there are three basic methods:

1. *Remove the top skin, replace/relaminate the core, replace the top
skin.

2. *Remove the bottom skin, repeat as above.

3. *Drill a series of holes, dry with heat and/or a vacuum pump, fill
holes with thickened epoxy, perform cosmetic fix on drill holes.

Method 2 requires working from below which is difficult but may be
easier cosmetically if the repair can be covered by the head liner.

Method 3 is relatively quick and easy but long term integreity is
suspect and the holes can be difficult to cover. *The extent of core
damage can be determined by examining the drilling residue.

Method 1 is scary but probably yields the best long term out come.
Some people have reported success making a thin cut around the
perimeter of the repair using something like a Fein Multimaster to
make the cut; lifting off the outer skin intact; and then replacing it
at the end, leaving only the cut line to be patched up cosmetically.
One difficulty is predetermining the extent of the core damage.

Everyone, thanks for the input. *Unfortunately I realized early on that
this was going to be a miserable job.

The good news is that it appears that the wet core is limited to an area
of about 1 sq ft. *I'm going to drill some more exploritory holes this
weekend.

I placed a photo of the area on my web site. *Note that it shows the
boat with the headliner removed, but that's a separate question. *The
photo is athttp://www.geoffschultz.org/temp/20081031_155154.jpg

I'm thinking of going with method 2 due to small size of the effected
area and accessability.

-- Geoffwww.GeoffSchultz.org- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I would use method 1 its not all that hard to do and if you come at it
from the cabin you can put a layer of glass on the bottom of the deck
sheathing. sides it fixes it right and you wont have to worry about it
later.