I've noticed that the wood under the deckplate giving me access to the top of the rudder post for an emergency tiller is wet. I keep taking the deckplate off everytime I'm on the boat to help it dry out but it seems like it never dries out, or even gets less wet. I've resealed/rebedded the deckplate flange and made sure the screw in plate seals to it. There is no other area of access that I'm aware of, except the rudder post. I know there is a shaft seal on the rudder post that will leak if bad but the wood is located two feet above the water line. Also, since it seems this wood is fully encased by fiberglass how would I replace if need be? Any ideas?
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wet core
classic wet core problem. It is virtually impossible to dry out - you need to remove it. Remove the deckplate completely and then use any tool you can to dig between the fiberglass skins to remove the wet core (screwdriver, keyhole saw blade, bent heavy wire, etc). You may end up digging back a long way before you get to dry core - keep digging! Refill the gap with new core soaked in epoxy or use epoxy "mush" - colloidal silica in epoxy works well. If you recore - be sure the area about 1" back from the deckplate cutout is epoxy mush - no core. Then when you redrill the holes for the deckplate screws you're going into epoxy - not core. That's how all holes into cored deck should be trimmed out. Core should never be exposed on the edge of a cutout. Unfortunately that was the standard way OD made cutouts.
classic wet core problem. It is virtually impossible to dry out - you need to remove it. Remove the deckplate completely and then use any tool you can to dig between the fiberglass skins to remove the wet core (screwdriver, keyhole saw blade, bent heavy wire, etc). You may end up digging back a long way before you get to dry core - keep digging! Refill the gap with new core soaked in epoxy or use epoxy "mush" - colloidal silica in epoxy works well. If you recore - be sure the area about 1" back from the deckplate cutout is epoxy mush - no core. Then when you redrill the holes for the deckplate screws you're going into epoxy - not core. That's how all holes into cored deck should be trimmed out. Core should never be exposed on the edge of a cutout. Unfortunately that was the standard way OD made cutouts.
Thanks for the info
Thanks... Do you (or anybody) know how deep and wide this section of core extends below the deck plate. From looking at the area from underneath it seems it can only be a few inches down but possibly the entire width of the stern. I'm also hoping this section is independant of any core structure that might be in the transom itself since this would end up being a much larger issue. Please tell me this piece is isolated! It looks like it may just be for supporting the upper end of the rudder post? The boat is a 1980 Oday 30.
Thanks... Do you (or anybody) know how deep and wide this section of core extends below the deck plate. From looking at the area from underneath it seems it can only be a few inches down but possibly the entire width of the stern. I'm also hoping this section is independant of any core structure that might be in the transom itself since this would end up being a much larger issue. Please tell me this piece is isolated! It looks like it may just be for supporting the upper end of the rudder post? The boat is a 1980 Oday 30.
Dean
I have the same situation! same boat too! the orginal plate was gone.. so we installed a new one. It's condensation! the rudder post is hollow.. some water is always inside the rudder. and the bilge most contributes to the cause because the engine compartment has next to no ventlation. I just leave the cover off when it's not going to rain. But as soon as it's put back on.. wet again. I'm think of adapting a dorade vent to another plate that fits that beckson 4" round we put on there. It would vent when the boat is sitting on it's mooring. Just my ideas. fair winds! Denise
I have the same situation! same boat too! the orginal plate was gone.. so we installed a new one. It's condensation! the rudder post is hollow.. some water is always inside the rudder. and the bilge most contributes to the cause because the engine compartment has next to no ventlation. I just leave the cover off when it's not going to rain. But as soon as it's put back on.. wet again. I'm think of adapting a dorade vent to another plate that fits that beckson 4" round we put on there. It would vent when the boat is sitting on it's mooring. Just my ideas. fair winds! Denise
Dean if you
get into the "coffin bunk" and remove the rear panel it will give you a good view of the bottomside of the cocpit liner/rudder post.
get into the "coffin bunk" and remove the rear panel it will give you a good view of the bottomside of the cocpit liner/rudder post.
Soaked wood
Dean - O'Day and a lot of other builders would insert a piece of wood in place of the usual balsa core in areas of high loading. I agree with Harlan: when the wood is saturated eventually it will have to be replaced. Good practice is to do as Harlan suggests, and remove the core adjacent to ANY hole or fastening that penetrates to core material and replace it with a thickened mixture of epoxy. I have a similar problem under the mast step of my O27 : there is a section of wood abt. 10" square in place of the balsa core at the step on the cabin roof. The wood is sandwiched in the laminate, and the cast aluminum step was secured with 4 large screws, running thru the outer skin and into the wood. Over time, moisture accumulated in the step and seeped down into the wood, which then rotted. This problem was exacerbated by holes drilled thru the roof and into the step for the mast wireing etc. It is impossible for sealant, bedding material or caulking to stop 100% of moisture from getting into the core in a situation like this, and it is a question of when, not if, the core will start to rot. Low cost production boats all suffer to some degree from this problem as it was too expensive to address in the factory. I understand that Hinkley's and boats of that class do have solid glass wherever a fastening etc goes thru the core. That's one reason they cost so much more $$$ than O'Day's. The WEST System epoxy people have a good handbook that covers the repair process. Only costs a couple of $ and worth it.
Dean - O'Day and a lot of other builders would insert a piece of wood in place of the usual balsa core in areas of high loading. I agree with Harlan: when the wood is saturated eventually it will have to be replaced. Good practice is to do as Harlan suggests, and remove the core adjacent to ANY hole or fastening that penetrates to core material and replace it with a thickened mixture of epoxy. I have a similar problem under the mast step of my O27 : there is a section of wood abt. 10" square in place of the balsa core at the step on the cabin roof. The wood is sandwiched in the laminate, and the cast aluminum step was secured with 4 large screws, running thru the outer skin and into the wood. Over time, moisture accumulated in the step and seeped down into the wood, which then rotted. This problem was exacerbated by holes drilled thru the roof and into the step for the mast wireing etc. It is impossible for sealant, bedding material or caulking to stop 100% of moisture from getting into the core in a situation like this, and it is a question of when, not if, the core will start to rot. Low cost production boats all suffer to some degree from this problem as it was too expensive to address in the factory. I understand that Hinkley's and boats of that class do have solid glass wherever a fastening etc goes thru the core. That's one reason they cost so much more $$$ than O'Day's. The WEST System epoxy people have a good handbook that covers the repair process. Only costs a couple of $ and worth it.
Thanks... one more thing
Thank you everyone for responding to my questions. I feel that I understand the problem now and because of your feedback I've been able to research the wet core problem and learned steps to take to battle the problem not only in this spot but to prevent it from hapening in other areas of the boat as well. However, there's still one question left that hs yet to be answered, and to me it's the important one. Is this piece of core surrounding the top of the rudder post connected to core that is likely in the transom of the boat? I'm hoping there is a fiberglass divider between this piece and what may be in the transom.
Thank you everyone for responding to my questions. I feel that I understand the problem now and because of your feedback I've been able to research the wet core problem and learned steps to take to battle the problem not only in this spot but to prevent it from hapening in other areas of the boat as well. However, there's still one question left that hs yet to be answered, and to me it's the important one. Is this piece of core surrounding the top of the rudder post connected to core that is likely in the transom of the boat? I'm hoping there is a fiberglass divider between this piece and what may be in the transom.
One more thing
Dean - Just speculation but the transom is part of the hull and would have been laid-up separately from the deck & joined later. Not familiar with your boat, but it is most probable that the area of concern was laid-up as part of the deck or cockpit. This would have been dropped on to the hull laminate and joined mechanically and/or by bonding at a later time, usually after much of the interior structures, liner etc etc are installed. It seems unlikely that the moisture & rot could migrate from the deck laminate to the transom.
Dean - Just speculation but the transom is part of the hull and would have been laid-up separately from the deck & joined later. Not familiar with your boat, but it is most probable that the area of concern was laid-up as part of the deck or cockpit. This would have been dropped on to the hull laminate and joined mechanically and/or by bonding at a later time, usually after much of the interior structures, liner etc etc are installed. It seems unlikely that the moisture & rot could migrate from the deck laminate to the transom.
Get Rot
Has anyone used a product called "Get Rot"? This is a runny fluid epoxy which is supposed to displace the moisture and then dry to become a solid epoxy.
Has anyone used a product called "Get Rot"? This is a runny fluid epoxy which is supposed to displace the moisture and then dry to become a solid epoxy.
transom on O'Day's is solid glass
Dean, the transom is solid glass. If you ever are in need of advice or help on your O'Day, I'm about 1/2 hour south in Chelsea. Hope you can make next year's rOnDAYvous (looking like it will be in Chelsea) Mike C. O'28 "DaCapo" Chelsea YC
Dean, the transom is solid glass. If you ever are in need of advice or help on your O'Day, I'm about 1/2 hour south in Chelsea. Hope you can make next year's rOnDAYvous (looking like it will be in Chelsea) Mike C. O'28 "DaCapo" Chelsea YC
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