Soft Foredeck

[Swiplash]

Hi, I'm looking at a 1978 O'Day 25. It has the standard mast beam rot at the base but I can address that. The problem is a very springy fore-deck. It's soft back to the cabin top and the bow pulpit wobbles when handled. I could increase the size of the backing plates for the bow pulpit but my main concern is the spongy deck. Underneath there is no support so I should expect a small amount of flex. Is that normal? Thanks!

Bill

 

[cb32863]

No, core rot is NOT normal. If you do some searching you will find that this is typical with these boats. I have owned one, dealt with rot and more rot and sold it. Sure you can "fix" it but, seriously, do you want to work on it for who knows how long or have a boat you can actually sail. That is the point after all. Some boats have just reached the end of "life". Move on, find something else that you can actually sail. Move on quickly, do not put any $$ in to this. Plain, experienced, honest advice.

 

[Gene Neill]

There are two active threads on the C22 forum right now, showing exactly how a rotten foredeck gets repaired. One guy flipped his boat upside down and went at it from inside, the other is doing it from the top:

https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/re-coring-foredeck.187573/

https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/south-african-catalina-22.186748/page-3

It's all up to you if this kind of work is your cup o' tea or not.

 

[Swiplash]

Well, I'm not going to turn the boat upside down and I'm not going to cut the deck. The spungy deck is only in the forpeake area. Rest of the boat is solid including the mast step. Here is my proposed solution. First off, the boat is not going to be abused or sailed hard. Daysailed only on a river. I'm going to place a brace bolted on the long axes on the underside of the deck and then bolt a hand hold to that brace. I'll do that on either side. Bolts will go thru the deck, bad core, innerliner then the brace and hand hold. Probably 3 foot long. That should shore up the deck without all that work.

 

[Jackdaw]

The boat has major structural issues. Buy it if you want, but nothing will change that fact.

 

[Swiplash]

Thanks for the survey. Checks in the mail.

 

[JRT]

Hey you are getting some good advice. I really enjoy my '76 25' but I have zero flex in my deck. Check the bulkheads above the chain plates and the base ofthe forward bulkheads for rot. If you have compression post rot, deck issues, I bet you have issues there too.

The first O'day 25 I found had too many issues and I walked and found the one I have now. These are pretty common boats plus Catalina 25 is alsoabout the same too.

 

[SG]

Swiplash,

From your description, the issues won't be solved by adding a stiffener under the deck. It would appear to a number of us here that you may have broader issues that deal with the lifeline bases, the hull to deck connections at the bow (which are important to the integrity of the boat up there, including maybe be the forestay, etc.)

The fix of this involves almost certainly removing at least one skin of the sandwich that makes up the deck. When you said the lifeline bases are "loose", I worry that the mushy core has extended to places that don't lend themselves to be fixed easily.

Why are you so determined to buy this almost 40 year old boat? You know, it has issues. There have to be other choices available?

 

[Swiplash]

Don't think I mentioned the lifeline stanchions. They are all sound. No movement on them. I did mentioned the bow pulpit. It's got a broken tube and I'm not sure that is causing its movement or the attachment to the deck. Hull attachment at the bow is good. Only soft spot on the boat is that foredeck triangle about 10 inches back from the bow to about 10 inches from the cabin top. Interior bulkheads are good at the chainplates. Mast step is sound. Mast beam has some rot but it has not compressed yet. All boats have issues. Some more than others. My requirements were a 25 foot boat with a keel/cb and the oday fits the bill. I'm downsizing from a 51 year old 30 footer. So this is a newer boat. Where I live I was surprised that there were not more choices. I Haven't bought the boat yet and am still negotiating. I'll give the boat another going over this week.

 

[Hayden Watson]

If you are looking at buying an older boat, you might consider buying a pinless moisture meter. I got this one for $40 and it works great. It will look inside the sandwich unless there is metal backing. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-Pi..._8903vry57826_pcrid_73529852758671_pkw__pmt__

 

[Swiplash]

Good tip, thanks.

 

[Gene Neill]

The boat has major structural issues. Buy it if you want, but nothing will change that fact.

Nah, nothing important attaches at the forepeak.

 

[Love and Luck]

Go not to the sailboatowners for counsel, for they will say both no and yes.

Especially if it's your first post. The locals smell newbie meat.

Anywho, you've got core rot. So does every other 30+ y.o. boat out there, unless someone has already fixed it.

Do you feel like fixing it? Is the price such that buying and repairing is cost effective? Then go for it. You're already better off that the average schlub: you know what you're up against.

Hint: One of the naysayers above has in the past few hours denied owning stock in a company making new boats due to his proselytizing in their favor vs. older boats, like the one you are looking at.

Hint #2: I have a 1972 Oday 22 with probably not an inch of UNrotted core. I bought her a year ago, and spent this summer sailing her in good weather on a local lake with no difficulty. I don't think I'd take her anywhere more rugged without major repair, but she only cost $500 for boat and trailer, so I'm still ahead. Those are the sort of things you should be contemplating.

 

[Swiplash]

Yea, kind of figured that right out of the box. I can sort thru the din and listen to the ones that actually know what they are talking about vs the trolls. Not my first rodeo. But this is my fist oday bull. My neighborhood has a marina, I have a slip in that marina, and a 25 foot boat fits nice.

 

[Love and Luck]

Oh, for what it's worth, the PO of my boat dealt with the soft foredeck by building a support structure over the v berth in the cabin. It holds 270 lbs of me, no problem.

 

[Swiplash]

Yup, that's what I'm going to do. I'll also make it structurally sound and make it look like it belongs there.

 

[jibes138]

Supporting the lower layer of a sandwich with no support in the middle of the sandwich will still leave the top layer unsupported or what am I missing? Look at Hayden's post on "Ask all sailors" about his repair for a core, might be a good alternative in your case and pretty easy.

 

[Swiplash]

I'm going to thru bolt the backing brace to the inside of the hull liner in multiple spots along it. The compression of the bolts will hold the deck glass firm. The deck glass itself is fine.

 

[Davidasailor26]

I'm going to thru bolt the backing brace to the inside of the hull liner in multiple spots along it. The compression of the bolts will hold the deck glass firm. The deck glass itself is fine.

If the core is rotten then thru bolting will just compress the core. You’ll have a hard time getting the bolts tight without having depressions in the deck around each bolt hole. The only way to really fix the problem is to replace the rotten core. If you don’t think you need the full fix then give your approach a try. Just go into it knowing it’ll take work to make usable, and the resale value won’t be good.

Your profile says you’re in Annapolis. Surely there are other 25 footers to be found. If the price on this one is worth the work then go for it, but don’t let your decision be clouded by fear that there aren’t any other boats around.

 

[cb32863]

Go ahead and buy the boat then. Why bother listening to people who have ACTUAL experience. If you were only going to listen to the people who said everything is fine, why did you even bother asking? Seriously...... good luck and hope your bank account can stand the pressure.