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Soft deck area.

Discussion in 'Post Yacht' started by My Affair, Jun 14, 2017.

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  1. My Affair, Jun 14, 2017
    #1
    My Affair

    My Affair Member

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    1988 46 Post- I need to repair a soft spot on the port side of the forward hatch. Has anyone done repairs up there, if so what is the coring material and how thick is it? Thanks! I've done repairs to my last Post, but that was glass over 1/2 in plywood.
  2. Capt J, Jun 15, 2017
    #2
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    I'm pretty sure 1988 is still glass over plywood.
  3. Barney Hauf, Jun 19, 2017
    #3
    Barney Hauf

    Barney Hauf Member

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    My 1989 43 foredeck is cored with Balsa
  4. Morgan Nelson, Jul 9, 2017
    #4
    Morgan Nelson

    Morgan Nelson New Member

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    My 1987 43 has Balsa. i just re did my deck from middle of deck up to pulpit, went in stateroom took out under glass and balsa. i replaced it with cussa board and some foam board then re glassed from below. It was quite the job but it turned out well and very stable.
  5. Capt J, Jul 9, 2017
    #5
    Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Working with fiberglass upside down is always a major job and major pain in the ass.
  6. Capt Ralph, Jul 9, 2017
    #6
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    I did a small spot on the for deck of one of my 20' work boats. From the inside and a good shop vac.
    Still a mess but the vac with a bunch of small pvc tubes & visqueen did hold the coring up till the epoxies bonded. Then I glassed in the inside laminate with a lil thickener.
    From the inside it looked like crap, but I could jump all on the deck with no issues.
    I never ground the stalactites flush and glued the fuzz back up. It would of looked fine then, heck, it's a work boat.
  7. My Affair, Jul 10, 2017
    #7
    My Affair

    My Affair Member

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    That sounds interesting doing the project from the inside. What size cussa board did you use? Do you have any photos? Thanks
  8. Capt Ralph, Jul 10, 2017
    #8
    Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    I have no photos of the work and am embarrassed of the final work a few years later. Deck still strong. Still ugly (as noted post #6) on the insides.
    If I remember, it was Divincell, scored, 1/2" core. Also, PVC.
    After a drench of wet, we used cavisil thickener. Got more on us than the coring, the pvc tubes were taped up ready for the task to hold the coring up, the plastic sheet was up, taped off and the shop vac was ready to draw it all in (up) This was not fancy vacuum bagging but that is where the idea to hold it in place came from. As I have mentioned, it was ugly but seemed to work.
    The next morning, it self held, sticky, we peeled off the plastic and pvc tubes, then layered a coat of cloth with more epoxy. A few days later, back to work, no issues yet.
    We may have been a bit thick on the core. A fat 3/8" may have worked better but you work with what you can barter/steel from your partners.