Hunter 34 soggy cabin top (deck)

[Ilanortho]

Hi;

Removed the sea hood with its 60 plus small screws and traveller.

The cabin roof core is soggy (by meter check and also the screws were soggy) and the marina yard recommends cutting channels on both sides under where the sea hood attaches, digging out the soggy wood and recoring and reglassing.

Say this is done successfully, my belief is that there is no way anyone can reseal the 60 screws when reattaching the seahood without some developing leaks down the line. The previous owner put down 5200 sealant in broad areas which made removal of the hood a three day job with some damage incurred. I won't do this as future removals will be just as hard.

A previous post to this forum a few years back mentioned rebolting the seahood down with just four bolts and doing away with all the screw holes, but doesn't give details. If I could I would just throw away the seahood, cut off and smooth away and reglass the entire top. I am afraid however that the cabin roof is reinforced by the sea hood and am not willing to redesign a boat. Any suggestions?

Thanks Ilan

 

[Allan12210]

You can hog out the soft wood as suggested although I might leave more fiberglass to bridge the channels. Then pre-drill the holes all the way through into the interior, making them oversized. If re-cored with wood, use epoxy on a Q-tip and seal the holes, so if water gets in them it won't rot. The water would just come on through and you will see it at the edge of the headliner boards. With the through holes now sealed, install the sea hood with machine screws, washers and nuts (in effect, through bolting it). Make sure to use Mainsail's method of a cone of butyl under the head of the screw and down the threads a ways larger than the hole. It will seal as you have someone hold the screw stationary and you tighten the nuts. With that technique, it positively wont' leak for at least 20, if not 30 years. You could put a small pad of butyl at each screw location as well for insurance. Countersink the top of the holes in the deck slightly and the pressure of bolting will extrude the butyl into that relief and meld with the wrapped screws.

 

[Ilanortho]

You can hog out the soft wood as suggested although I might leave more fiberglass to bridge the channels. Then pre-drill the holes all the way through into the interior, making them oversized. If re-cored with wood, use epoxy on a Q-tip and seal the holes, so if water gets in them it won't rot. The water would just come on through and you will see it at the edge of the headliner boards. With the through holes now sealed, install the sea hood with machine screws, washers and nuts (in effect, through bolting it). Make sure to use Mainsail's method of a cone of butyl under the head of the screw and down the threads a ways larger than the hole. It will seal as you have someone hold the screw stationary and you tighten the nuts. With that technique, it positively wont' leak for at least 20, if not 30 years. You could put a small pad of butyl at each screw location as well for insurance. Countersink the top of the holes in the deck slightly and the pressure of bolting will extrude the butyl into that relief and meld with the wrapped screws.

Thank you; have received several rolls of this substance. Ilan