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Author
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Topic: Inspection port cl16 ?
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bobc
Member
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posted May 19, 2004 12:26 PM
   
While in the process of examining cracks in my floor, I reached through the center board port and noticed my foam is wet. It appears rain water must have gotten in the from the lazarette hatch being left open by the previous owner. I have just gotten this boat last weekend, and started talking to TomD, who was very helpful regarding floor repair issues. I think I will follow his advice and reglass damaged sections. But I am thinking of installing a 4 inch inspection hatch somewhere near the rear of the boat. I am hoping a fan, placed in that hatch with the centerboard hatch covers off may allow me to dry the foam. Any ideas on hatch placement or cautions on floor surgey ?
I know it could also leak at the centerboard
bolt , but the boat has been out of the water since last year.Thanks, ------------------
Bob Crowley
Luna #486 IP: 66.251.26.135 |
Tom D CL16
Member
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posted May 20, 2004 11:56 AM
If you don't have any major damage to the hull the water probably got in through either the centerboard pivot bolt access or the lazarette. My boat did not have the space between the side and bottom blocked off so water seaped into my foam.
I cut holes for 4" ports on each side just forward and above the seats. I also open these and the ports on the centerboard trunk and leave it open whenever the boat is not in the water. I store my boat in a garage. A good cover would also help. This would be a good way to try to dry it out. I left my old foam in the garage for several weeks and it never dried, it dripped a lot of water though. I took out all the foam I could reach through the access holes and replaced it. I used 2" foam cut into strips. If I were to do it again I would use foam peanuts in plastice baggies.
I also plan to add floatation in the lazarette and under the foredeck, using spray foam in the can.
The old boats sail great but need some extra care. I sailed mine for 2 or 3 years before I did any major maintenance.
Good luck and go sailing.
Tom D. IP: 205.188.117.21 |
bobc
Member
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posted May 20, 2004 02:23 PM
Tom ,Were you able to remove the foam from the floor through the side access ports ? I am thinking of cutting the hatch into the floor near the rear drains and snaking out the floor foam. I will probably then add foam into the bow and lazerette to replace the floatation. But given your experience I may have to cut a hole into the sides to make sure that the sides are not wet as well. I was thinking I could kill two birds with one stone and add a block to accept oarlocks under the deck while I was at it. I will still have to reglass the floor since according to CL that foam is structural. My brother in law says just stick a truck tire tube in the bow and sail it then fix it in the fall.
Thanks for all the info.
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Bob Crowley
Luna #486 IP: 66.251.25.185 |
SuperPiper
Member
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posted May 21, 2004 03:59 AM
I like the truck tube idea. That is how I intend to replace the foam blocks that I removed from my Sandpiper.Last summer, the cockpit floor collapsed, so, I cut it out completely. I removed the wet foam and started glassing over the plywood and improving the bulkhead-to-hull connections. I intend to make this volume water-tight and to locate the gas tank there. I have a SeaChoice 13"x24" sealed hatch on order through Boater's World. It has been back-ordered for more than a month. I expect it to cover most of the floor area (I phoned the manufacturer to confirm I/S & O/S dimensions). If this repair goes as well as I hope, I will recommend that every 'Piper have one installed, whether it has floor problems or not. Have a good weekend. IP: 69.156.2.112 |
bobc
Member
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posted May 21, 2004 08:05 AM
Well I bit the bullet cut floor. I cut an inspection hatch on the port side under the benches just aft of the centera board trunk. To my surprise I saw no foam in that area. It is seperated from the foam in the center of the floor by a stringer and I also felt no foam on the sides, it must be way up the sides. At any rate I was able to remove all the foam under the floor through the inspection hatches at the center board. It was soaked. I stuck a small fan in the aft port and it was nice and dry this morning. It appears that the forward bulkhead seals the under bow section of the boat from the rest of the bilge or at least thats what I can tell from my electrical snake explorations. I was surprised at how little foam there was maybe a 4x8 sheet or so. At this point I am considering leaving the foam out altogether and putting my floatation ,tire tubes, in the bow and lazerette. My idea is that floatation in those areas may make for a more stable boat full of water than floatation under the floor. But I may be wrong, hopefully I will never find out. I also intend to put hatches over the bow access ports to slow water penetration in the event of a capsize. This boat has a steel centerboard retrofit so I think it should be fairly stable. Given the fact that I am now sailing a Laser it should seem like the QE2 to me. I have a few more things like trailer bearings and some paint to attend to and then off we go. Thanks for all the help this board is great.
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Bob Crowley
Luna #486 IP: 66.251.24.46 |
Darcy
Member
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posted May 21, 2004 09:58 AM
I'm not a big fan of foam. I've seen some very heavy boats with waterlogged foam. The stuff never drys!! If you do use foam make sure its for marine use and does not absorb water.I'd go with the air bag approach (inner tubes, floatation bags, etc.) I've also seen ping pong balls used because you can put them into narrow spaces. D'Arcy IP: 67.70.121.239 | |
