soft floor

oteps · #1 02-22-2017, 08:23 AM

87 dual console.
I have a soft floor under the main seats and between the consoles. Found where the water came in. the console had a break in the fiberglass at the bottom corner where it leaked in to bare plywood! It has fiberglass under it, so it held the water in. Im thinking about making a hatch in the center between the consoles to let it air out. and cutting the top layer of fiberglass off to fix the rest and repaint. I cut a hole under the pass side console which was the worst one and found the boat was foamed on the sides and all open in the center.
The fuel tank cover is soft also, it was leaking at the round hatches. the foam around the tank is wet. Do I take the tank out or just hope it dries? its the original aluminum tank. Going to take the bottom layer of fiberglass off the cover and fix plywood.

I know its going to be worse than I see. I don't want to put a lot of money in it right now but don't want to fix it twice. If I can figure out how to post pics I will.

Any of you guys with dual consoles take off the rear cover of both consoles and seal the plywood before it ruins your floor. mine had an extra piece of plywood over floor with carpet on it.

oteps · #2 02-22-2017, 09:32 PM

Found the wood in the stringers is rotten. The stringer in the center of the boat has an 8 x 10 inch section without fiberglass on it.None of the small circle shaped hatches are sealed where they cut them out. the drain holes in the center, bottom are not sealed. Is the wood in the stringers just a mold for the fiberglass or is it just a bad design? im debating on cutting the floor out or just fixing it enough to use it for another year till I have more time and money to fix it right. I would guess if I do all that I should redo the transom too.

tartuffe · #3 02-22-2017, 10:25 PM

It's a bad design. The wood is a structural component. The foam will never dry out. I had my entire top pulled off and out of the weather and 3 months later it was still sopping wet. You will probably find heavy pitting in your fuel tank on the underside if you pull it out. Aeromarine has great prices on epoxy resins (I prefer epoxy over polyester or vinylester de
spite the cost, its more forgivingto the beginner and a superior product) and foam. Fiberglass supply has very good pricing on fiberglass cloth. 12 oz biaxial 45 degree material could be used to reinforce stringer to negate loss of wood strength. A solid bond to exiting polyester resin is critical. It's a mess you have but a fairly easy fix but it will take some time and several hundred to get it right.

oteps · #4 02-23-2017, 07:38 PM

Im going to fix the tank hatch, pass side console and the top parts where u would rest your arm if u were sitting in the seats. they have cup holders and water leaked in there. I guess ill wait till next year to fix the floor. I only will have time to use the boat a couple times this summer anyway.

Destroyer · #5 02-24-2017, 01:00 AM

There is no way to dry out the foam. It must be removed and replaced. But you can dry out the wood by opening all your hatches to allow air to circulate under the deck. It won't help what's already rotted, but it will slow or stop additional rotting. Of course this is when the boat is on the trailer and protected from rain. Additionally you can place a small fan under the deck and let it run to help circulate the air for drying.

SkunkBoat · #6 02-24-2017, 10:36 AM

I would pull the 30 yr old tank. That is your biggest worry, especially if its a salt water boat.

hippsbt · #7 04-16-2017, 11:48 AM

@Destroyer

I am glad to hear this. I recently removed my center console and had rot in the main hatch above my fuel tank. The half that's been exposed and the captain's chairs were mounted had been exposed 34 years and it needed repair. Since I have only recently commuted to restoring her, I am taking things slowly. After removing my center console I realized that hatch was symmetrical so for now I've sealed as best I can without fiberglass work, spun the thing around and have myself a new, strong surface to remount my captains chairs (going to reinforce with a steel plate this time, under hatch and above fuel tank. This bandaid solution is only doable because I can cover the unuseable area with the center console. It's the first in many steps to try and get this thing back to better shape.