Crack in cockpit floor

[Milton.Audas]

I managed to upload a couple of photos from under the cockpit yesterday. Interesting. The crack goes through the ply in an (almost) straight line. One of the photos is a little blurry but others close in indicate that the areas around the crack is wet. Not so. Kept in super dry indoor storage all winter. Possibly some PO had injected resin ?? I think my plan is to clean the existing underside of the existing ply, then laminate a new ply under, with structural beams (I like those preformed ribs from Jamestown). Then, remove the area around the crack on the upper side and replace per Gene and Jacktar's excellent repairs.

 

[Jacktar]

Milton.Audas I have seen this before, the ply is cracked by some sort of blunt trauma which cracked the plywood as well as the overlying gel coat and fiberglass. The wet is seepage from edge of the plywood from water entering the space between the plywood and repaired fiberglass. Because the plywood structure is compromised and cannot support the more flexible fiberglass repairs it breaks again. You will need to dry out the ply and maybe just drill from above and inject some git rot (which invades the capillary spaces in the wood material) then because it is actually epoxy based it may glue the crack closed especially if you put some pressure on it below while injecting and letting it polymerize. Then and only then do the repair of the cockpit floor itself. This is a tried and true method in boats of mixed composition, ie wood and plastic. With luck no removal and replacement of floor or expensive braces may be needed. Just some elbow grease and a quart of git rot (20 bucks?).

 

[Milton.Audas]

So, finally an update. Followed several of y'all's (or is that all y'alls' ??) advice. Had to wait for slight;ly warmer weather to attack this issue.

1. Used the Git Rot pumping it into the crack, and drilled small holes around it, filling each with the magic solution. Dried fast (but left it for a week to be sure).
2. Glassed in an sanded resin and matting. Dried and sanded.
3. Built a reinforcement layer to fit under the cockpit sole. 3/4" marine ply reinforced with 2"x2" stringers. Glassed that over. Mounted under the original cockpit sole. That was fun in the enclosed space but a one-time deal. I defy (almost) anyone to make that floor flex again !!
4. Sealed the upper side, then covered with a SeaTek like material. Makes a nice change of image, and the EVA material is non-slip but is also easier on our bare feet in the hot sun as it doesn't behave like a hot tin roof. Looks nice too.
5. Re-built the tired companionway step with same 3/4" ply, layered to fit into teh original step profile, but extended out a little over the battery switch. Gives a little more room to plant the feet, or sit but doesn't take up any more space in et cabin.
6. Also recovered the cabin floor as I had just the right amount left over. Crew likes it. First mate agrees and that is what really counts.

 

[Gene Neill]

Bloody fabulous!!

 

[Will Gilmore]

Bloody fabulous!!

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-Will (Dragonfly)

 

[AaronD]

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-Will (Dragonfly)