I'm starting to get a bit of delamination in a couple of high traffic areas. Would adding a teak step pad help to delay the inevitable fiberglass repair? Would adding some fiberglass to the underside help? I will do a proper repair when I have some more time
She's creaking at 40
- Thread starter Project_Mayhem
- Start date
Here's a pic of someone else's boat but I've circled the areas. Everyone, including myself, steps on these areas when going forward or boarding from the dock
I suspect the problem is a wet core and the core has finally begun to deteriorate. With the core gone or going the fiberglass flexes more. Replacing the core is the solution. Others may have more ideas.
This is a good approach if the boat does not have a moulded headliner, which I suspect the O'Day has.
If by "oscillating saw", you mean a "sawz-all", do not use a sawz-all to cut through half of your boat deck, it won't go well...
Negative. More like this - Multi-tool (power tool) - Wikipedia. Agreed that a sawz-all would probably not be the right tool for the job.
I did this once upon a time with a circular saw. It was a Sunfish hull that wasn't worth fixing so it was tossed out piece by piece.
The O'Day has a liner. I would make an access hole or two below the area that needs to be repaired. Getting a drill in there would be a challenge. Those Multi-tools are amazing when you've got the right attachment for the job. Dremel sounds like it'd take a long time but could be useful for hard to reach areas. @dlochner is probably right that the core is wet. If it's only mildly wet I'm guessing it's a very time consuming process to remove the wood?
Oscillating multi-tools are great for this kind of work but fiberglass really chews through the blades. Buy the Amazon multi-packs so you don't have to take out a mortgage to pay for the box store blades. I went through about 8 cutting the floor out of my boat where it was tabbed to the hull. I'm sure the smaller area you are working with won't be that bad but you will probably still need a few.
If you can get in there and cut out the underside in the fall, scrape out as much core as you can then let it dry over the winter. Re-core and glass it back together in the spring.
If you can get in there and cut out the underside in the fall, scrape out as much core as you can then let it dry over the winter. Re-core and glass it back together in the spring.
If the core isn’t wet, you could do a repair by drilling a series of 1/16“ holes through the deck surface in a grid pattern, then injecting thinned epoxy into the core. I have seen examples of the being done with the result being a deck that was stiffer than new...
If the core is wet, all bets are off.
If the core is wet, all bets are off.
I had to cut the top of the deck off under the mast step due to water infiltration and rotting core. O'Day did nothing at the deck penetrations to seal them, or at least it seemed that way on the one I owned. I found the limits of the rot, cut of the top layer, dug it out, replaced it, then re epoxied the top layer back in. Sanded it down with 80 grit. Then at the end of the season I sold it to a guy and he is having fun with it on a small lake as a party barge. A new life for an old girl but, some horses shouldn't be saved.
I found an advertisement where Bangor Punta was boasting that they used the latest and greatest sealer in the O'Day boats... silicone! Resealing all the deck fittings is on my winter to do list
Well, at least they didn't use 5200!
Before you go cutting up the deck, think about what the problem is and how to fix it (easily and cheaply)
In the spot indicated in the photo there seem to be no through deck fittings. ( no stauntion or genoa sheet track.)
That raises the question If it is core rot, where did the water enter?
gary
In the spot indicated in the photo there seem to be no through deck fittings. ( no stauntion or genoa sheet track.)
That raises the question If it is core rot, where did the water enter?
gary
I am doing this on my Laguna 26 right now. I removed everything but the tracks for my jib sheet blocks (they appear to have been added later and are 5200'd down). I over sized the mast step holes, stantion holes and winch holes 2-3 drill size through the top layer of glass, core but not the bottom layer, taped the holes closed on the back side and poured them full of polyester resin and milled glass. A large syringe for my local farm and home store with the tip reamed out kept it all fairly neat. I still have to redrill my holes and plan on dealing everything down with Dow795 since I ordered extra for my windows.
I doubt adding FG to the underside would help if the issue is wet core, and most likely it is.
Depending on the size of the area flexing, foot pads to spread the weight will probably help to delay gel coat cracking until to you do the proper repair.