Need to dry out wet wood encased in fiberglass

[Merlin Clark]

If you can scoop out the rotted wood you might be able to bust it up a little using a piece of very stiff wire bent into an L and a drill. Insert wire into chuck and then drilled hole in glass.
Might break up some of that stuff and allow it to dry out faster.
If you get it mostly all out you could use body filler to fill the void. Cheap, solid and somewhat hydroscopic so make sure you seal it well if you go this route.

 

[tommays]

I can assure you even with the inner skin OFF the plywood is delaminated NO LONGER bonded to the outer skin and will NEVER dry

Even big pieces that were removed and stored in my DRY garage in HOT weather stayed wet for 3 months

 

[25yearslater]

Tommays is right. Once a core is wet it won't dry out for decades. Balsa is the best sponge bar none. Even after a year of heating and covered when I peeled the deck off my Oday 27 the balsa was wet enough to squeeze several ounces of water out with every fistful. You like myself in Rochester, NY have the added joy of freezing water delamination. That ice shatters the bond between core and skins as it expands. Even squirting in some magic stuff is no match for ice that WILL form when the temp drops again. Skip the drill and squirt and replace your core or you can do it again in a year. The PO of my boat tried it with zero success.

 

[jibes138]

Tommays, why are you storing rotted wood in your garage for months? :>) Was this an experiment to see how long it took to dry out?

I was looking at the Island Packet website one day and reading about their construction techniques. It seems they core their deck with a lightweight composite material that won't absorb water. I would look at using whatever that stuff is if I went to the trouble of peeling off the skin and removing the wood. Why put new wood back in just to have trouble again in the future? Its' probably just a mix of epoxy with zillions of microballoons or something to get the weight (and cost) out. Do any of you guys happen to know what this magic elixir might be comprised of?

 

[tommays]

Tommays, why are you storing rotted wood in your garage for months? :>) Was this an experiment to see how long it took to dry out?

Two reasons

1. I did want to really see if it would ever dry

2. I find when i rip something apart no matter how bad the parts are UNTIL its back together the old stuff has value because sometimes months later no matter how many pictures you take there could be a worthwhile clue in the old part

 

[Merlin Clark]

Tommays, why are you storing rotted wood in your garage for months? :>) Was this an experiment to see how long it took to dry out?

I was looking at the Island Packet website one day and reading about their construction techniques. It seems they core their deck with a lightweight composite material that won't absorb water. I would look at using whatever that stuff is if I went to the trouble of peeling off the skin and removing the wood. Why put new wood back in just to have trouble again in the future? Its' probably just a mix of epoxy with zillions of microballoons or something to get the weight (and cost) out. Do any of you guys happen to know what this magic elixir might be comprised of?

I know there is a product that is for repairing bad PW transoms, a mix and poor type of thing that is guarentee forever.
Also, there is Divinycell http://www.jamestowndistributors.co...do?pid=1588&familyName=Divinycell+Plain+Sheet
Which is not cheap but no future rot problems worries.

 

[rardiH36]

Hello Tommays:

I've been following the thread and value your input. But this is query totally different. Something I can't find in the SBO instructions or search -- nor have I been able to figure it out myself:

How do you embed your pictures within the text of your post, rather than as just those little thumbnails attached to the bottom of the post?

I want to be able to do!

regards,
rardi

 

[tommays]

Photobucket is the KING IMHP

I upload all my photos using there option to convert them to 640 X 480 as it works well in forums

After you make and album each picture has code to paste into your post and the IMG seems to work everyplace

Agter

 

[rardiH36]

Atger:

Thanks. I was aware of the ability to embed a picture as an URL link, which I suppose what the Photobucket code does?

I was hoping that also pictures could be embedded direct from the hard drive of my computer providing at least that the bytes per picture is low enough.

Guess not.

rardi

 

[weh5748]

I was asked to post a picture of the damaged area. I'm afraid it doesn't show much re whats inside. I have 2 fairly large holes on top and several drain holes lower on side. I've poured in acetone, used hairdryer to blow air thru, and left open on clear dry days but not used vacuum yet. Also used coat hanger to pull out a lot of rotted wood. I'm optimistic that it is drying and I can wait until winter if necessary to complete process and get on with the fills/final repairs.

 

[sandpiper10471]

Even over the winter it won't dry out. Might if you moved to the Atacama Desert but then you would still be left with chunks of rotten punky wood with no structure.

 

[kenn]

I was asked to post a picture of the damaged area. I'm afraid it doesn't show much re whats inside. I have 2 fairly large holes on top and several drain holes lower on side. I've poured in acetone, used hairdryer to blow air thru, and left open on clear dry days but not used vacuum yet. Also used coat hanger to pull out a lot of rotted wood. I'm optimistic that it is drying and I can wait until winter if necessary to complete process and get on with the fills/final repairs.

Have you received any opinion as to whether the plywood there actually provides necessary structural support, or was it simply used as filler or spacer?

The reason I ask is that maybe all you have to do is scoop out as much plywood as possible, fix all cracks and other water entry points, then inject urethane foam or epoxy + some lightweight filler to fill the void.

It would be best of course to remove ALL the punky wood, if it's possible.

This year I got some properly tinted gelcoat from our boat's manufacturer ("topcoat'" that will cure in free air), so I speak from experience when I say it's not that hard to make the holes disappear after the repair.

 

[Chris Patterson]

Oh Lerd...
I didn't realize the rotten wood was in the tabernacle. I said acetone would dry it out, knowing of course that a proper repair would be forthcoming, but that may require some real surgery..

 

[weh5748]

Sounds from your response like the tabernacle presents special issues. Is it because of stresses on the mast. It does seem very strong because of the solid, although hollow, fiberglass shell. Also when I probe to left of the hole on left (see photo above) towards area below mast it seems to have a very solid fill, same density as fiberglass. I'm still leaning toward putting in a filler .. something that will harden more than a foam filler ... perhaps a bondo like material. Other ideas for best solid filler assuming space is 95% dry and open cavity?

 

[25yearslater]

Epoxy and microballoons would be a good candidate as jibes suggested.

 

[Merlin Clark]

I'd use bondo. It's catalyst cured and dense. It's poly resin and filler and I think the only difference between it and the marine filler is the picture of the boat on the label: http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...ody-filler/_/N-25u5?itemIdentifier=167015_0_0_ $14.99 (qt.)
and the marine: http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=50218&subdeptNum=50219&classNum=50223 $32.99 (qt.)
If you want the long strand stuff (stronger) $36.99 for (QUART) at WM and $42.99 (GALLON) at autozone.
For some reason a picture of a boat vs a car on the label means a 100- 400% markup.

Either way it's a heck of a lot cheaper than "six10". 6.42 oz for $23. Ok for a very small job.

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

NEVER, EVER use Bondo. It absorbs water after curing and will make the proper repair that much more messy and difficult not to mention create even more damage.

 

[Merlin Clark]

Think it will rot Don? Your boat is made with poly resin. So is mine and about 99.9999% of all the other FG boats out there.
The filler is hydroscopic (and would require sealing) but so was the original wood, which is rotted and causing the PO a problem.

 

[25yearslater]

The biggest problem he is facing is his location. Lake George is located in the Adirondacks. Many a winter I made the trip up there to the in laws only to be greeted by temps in the minus 20's. ANY moisture in this geographic area will result in freeze fracturing. 30 weight motor oil has the consistency of grease at temperatures this low. This boat needs to be completely dried out and kept dry or any repair is highly likely to be temporary at best. Just one factor to consider.

 

[jibes138]

Best solution therefore is move south where its' warm.
USe good quality waterproof epoxy for the repair. I can see a boat builder using 50 gallon drums of polyester to save a few bucks but these small repairs should be done with good quality materials so you don't have to screw around with it afterwards. Trust me you will have enough other stuff to fix soon enough since you own a boat.