1999 Hunter 410 moisture issue

[Bob 04 H260]

A friend may have a moisture problem with his Hunter 410. It has mostly been hauled for the past 4 or 5 years. She was in for a couple of short cruises about 2 months each.

It was surveyed last year for a purchaser and the surveyor's moisture meter showed high levels along the port side bow to stern just above and below the water line. It was rechecked with a second meter with same result.

The boat has balsa only above the waterline. Two core samples were taken of the balsa core from the inside of the cockpit locker. The balsa looked fine, solid, didn't appear wet. It was placed in a sealed zip lock bag for a couple of hours in the sun. Moisture appeared on the inside of the bag. The boat had been out of the water for a year and a half. Prior to that it did a two month cruise to the Bahamas. It does not have any blisters on the bottom.

The masking tape on the boat outlines the area giving a high reading.

Any ideas on what's causing and what the solution might be ? Is it actually a problem ?
Thanks Bob

 

[Rick D]

Wow! I think your question is appropriate. I would be a skeptic. For one thing, the tape outlines areas which are solid laminate. My concern is error in not necessarily the tool as much as the interpretation of the readings. Although I doubt there is any issue here, I am not the expert and appreciate the owner now has to resolve this issue in a way that gives both he and any future buyer some confidence. So, who may be an expert? Marlow-Hunter itself may be one, perhaps they can suggest another. Perhaps an expert in plastic laminates. Maybe a marine surveyor with substantial expertise in this area. Maybe others on this forum can suggest other resources. I wish him well.

 

[Ted]

I was told by a reputable SAMS marine surveyor that false positive moisture reading can be caused by how the boat was constructed. In many boats, there are interior parts that are attached to the hull with a thick putty like material. (I forgot the technical name) Typical parts that can be attached to the hull with this method are hull liners, cabinets, bunks and head modules. It is common for a moisture meter to indicate false high moisture readings in those areas.