Soft Spot Under Dinette Table?

[Monemkr2000]

Hey guys,

I was getting my boat ready for haul out today and removed the table to get to a few things. I steped in the little tub area below the dinette table and it felt soft. I can push it up and down with my foot and i can hear water moving and splashing. The boat is in the water right now. I check all bilge compartments and they were normal. The rest of the floor seems soild.

Just wanted to ask if anyone has ever noticed this or not. Or does anyone think there might be some delamantion going on?

Thanks

1985
Cat 22
Swing Keel

 

[Ken]

Can't tell you how you got the water under the table, but can tell you the liner doesn't attach to the hull there and it will indeed hold water. Most likely at some point there was water in either the forward or after hold and when the boat was heeled it ran over into that area.

I've known several folks that have had water get in there. If memory serves me they all drilled a small hole into the area from the aft hold to let the water drain out.

Good luck

Ken

 

[CaptDon01]

I had a similar problem with my original C-22,(1980 version). Water can get into that area if the calking under the rub-rail is bad. When healed over it will allow water to get into the bildge. Years ago, at least on my old boat, Catalina ran a couple strips of plywood along the keel line. It was only covered with a thin layer of fiberglass, and easily assorbed water into the plywood,(thank goodness they stopped placing any wood below the waterline, I believe it was with the 2nd generation boats). You can see this plywood along the sides of the keel under the step and it continues under the dinette area on the port side, and under the walkway on the starboard side. I also ground all the joint areas where the linner was attached to the hull,(a long job accomplished over several years). I installed several layers of fiberglass tape with WEST epoxy. This gave a nice radius to the linner/hull joint, then the entire bildge area, that I could get to, was coated with several coats of Interlux 2000/2001 barrier coat. This gave the bildge a nice hard grey color, and prevented water from migrating into the fiberglass from the inside also,(bottom was also coated with the same material). I dried out the area under the dinnette with heat lamps and fans left on for days and days, and then more days, to dry out the wood. No way of knowing exactly when it was dry, so I just kept drying it out. Poured in warm WEST epoxy so it would soak into the wood. I also calked the entire interior hull/deck joint with 3M 5200. Took a lot of tubes, but I just filled the gap all around the boat. Another big job, but take it in small sections at a time. The new boats really cured all the problems of the old boats! I LOVE the new way they join the deck and hull. Solid, tight, strong, and best of all, waterproof forever! And best of all, no plywood below the waterline! In fact, I haven't found wood anywhere. I suspect the deck and cabin top has plywood coring.

Good luck!

Don