Is The H34 Cockpit Sole Cored?

[Joe Mullee]

My cockpit sole needs attention. It's starting to get soft underfoot. Does anyone know for sure if the area is cored or possibly solid fiberglass? It almost seems to be solid fiberglass but it's difficult to access the area from underneath. If anyone has had this particular problem in their H34 or like boat and can shed light on the way you fixed it I'd appreciate any advice. I've read the West Systems workbook and also Don Casey's "Sailboat Hull & Deck Repair" too.

Thanks,
Joe Mullee

 

[Richard Bryer]

It's cored, Joe- at least mine is. I did do the hole drilliing thing in a small space where you step out of the companionway but it has not worked very well. My plan will be to cut the top skin around the non-skid sections and re-core and epoxy. The job is some where on my list

 

[Allan12210]

Not speaking from personal experience, I have heard of some folks accessing the core from underneath. That preserves the non skid top surface. One drawback is everything drops into your face.

Allan

 

[Dan Johnson]

Joe...

I'll defer to Richard about the cockpit coring as I won't get back down to the boat until next weekend at the earliest. I'm on the road and don't have any boat pics on my work laptop I could reference.

However, check out the pic I posted in my S-1 installation thread of the bottom of the pedestal. I don't recall seeing any core plywood under the ped, but further back you'll note the exposed plywood where I mounted the rudder sensor. It's possible the core was removed to install the pedestal, but I can't be sure yet.

 

[Joe Mullee]

Checked It Out Today

It's cored from the companionway (possibly starting 3-4" aft of the companionway) back to the pedestal. I didn't check beyond that since I don't have a problem aft of the pedestal. Dan, you're correct that the spot where the pedestal sits is not cored, but just forward of it is cored. I went into the aft cabin and took the ceiling light off and put a 3/16" drill bit up there. There is a thin fiberglass liner before getting to the actual cockpit sole. That's the standard fiberglas - wood - fiberglass configuration.

The bad news is the wood shavings that came out of the hole were wet.
I'll probably have to replace the core to do the job right. I'm not looking forward to this one.

Thanks for the help!!

Joe Mullee

 

[kloudie1]

Good job figuring that one out, Joe.. I know we'd talked in the past about it.. I have a soft spot just forward of the lazarette wall on the port side of the floor .. I wonder how water got in there?? The port is a suspect, I guess as is the cockpit scupper ..?? Bulkhead instruments? Bulkhead ports? Companionway surround? I dunno

 

[Richard Bryer]

Re: Checked It Out Today

Its wood cored aft of the pedestal also, Joe. I drilled a couple of holes there in a small soft spot and syringed epoxy in.

 

[Dan Johnson]

Good work, Sherlock (Joe)!!!

I replaced the light in the aft cabin overhead a couple years ago but can't recall what was behind it--good thinking and follow up!

Since the only penetrations in the cockpit sole are for the scuppers and the steering pedestal, they could be suspect at the rear of the cockpit, but not sure about foreward of the ped. Teak treadle plate at the companionway threshold? Engine control panel? Port cockpit seat locker drain? Not many other possible sources in the immediate area.