Winding up for THE BIG FREEZE

[yachtsmanbill]

A few more pics to put this all into perspective... ws

[bigbill]

hey y.b., i didn't cut my top open, mine was rotten around the ladder opening to the bridge. i removed the teak trim around the opening, then the fiberglass piece that makes the lip around the opening. there it was, one inch of air space, where balsa once was. i cleaned out the rot until i reached a previous repair, so, i had a straight edge inside the top. i then filled the void with one inch thick pressure treated wood covered with 5200 until it stuck out of the ladder opening. after it dried good i trimmed the ladder hole, and re installed the lip and the teak trim. after that was done, i drilled some holes in the top and poured thickened resin to fill any voids. i poured resin until all holes were full, sanded and painted the spots. at 300 lbs i cant even make it move. before the repair, i was very careful where i walked on the bridge. good luck, bigbill

[yachtsmanbill]

Thanks Bill... I thought you had opened up an area like mine... I guess we'll see what it looks like when its opened up. You would think there is an alternatve to the end grain balsa on a flex sheet. I was wondering about the two part foam that builders use to fill stringers and voids in the hull etc. Ive heard that stuff will absorb water just like great stuff from the homo.
Something like that should be easier to use and shape to match the contours. Ya know the damn judges will be scrutinatin' against it LOL... ws

[34Hatt]

O.K Willy this I have done more then I care to remember

First you really wont know how much until you open it up! How did you come up with the out line do you feel flex?
Easy part is slice with skill saw pull up glass it will be easy ifs it wet core. That will be balsa under there. If glass doesn't pull most likely its dry you will be able to tell when you start getting to dry balsa should be nice and white!
You can be amazed how far water can travel thru that stuff. Some times you find a seam that has a lot of resin in-between the pieces and that stops the water but you need luck for that one.

Once you get it open you can decide what you want to replace it with?
Balsa again
Coosa
Nida core

I have done balsa again and it is fine if done right which is over drill all penetrations and back filling with epoxy and then redrill so that water can never get to it.
How many things going back down on top and does it need to hold a lot of screws or brackets If so Coosa is best other wise I like nida core.

[yachtsmanbill]

Hey Dan... Look at the last page; theres a kidney shaped outline which is the main soft spot. The water has migrated over time about 3 feet aft to where the salon bulkhead is at. There are several spots on the BH where the paint is blistering off plus an area thats gawn right at the handrail height.
The plan is to open the roof in an area large enough to repair ANYTHING thats wet, in an area thats large enough to get it all in ONE operation.
When its all said and done, the dinghy cradles are gone and the new FB handrail will make the whole rooftop a party deck with a complete Bimini top aft of the arch as well.
I'll plunge cut the straight lines with the skil saw and cut the radii with a sabre saw. Now for the tricky part... Should I glass in some 3X1" strips around the perimeter to accept the rail stanchion screws? Also, can you link the balsa,coosa, and nida core stuff? This page makes it more confusing than anything! Thanks, ws
The pics show the progression over one year. Both sides are the same!

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q...h+balsa+coring

[oldboat]

http://nida-core.com/english/

[34Hatt]

http://www.coosacomposites.com/

Nida cores price is mucho less $$

Bill
For area like were your rails are going I have use Coosa or G-10 which is a glass with epoxy that is made under compression which results in a hard ass solid mat'l that hold a thread like aluminium. There is some other mat'l just like it out there and Ill find you a link, I think even Mcmaster has some that will work for. I just put a square chunk in the spot. I did my swin platform that way so that I have no hardware on top showing, all blind tapped. Been offshore anchored and beat the Snot out of it all night in the waves still solid as a rock!

[yachtsmanbill]

WHAT??? No pics??? LOL That COOSA (Bubba sheet?) looks pretty good. I priced something like that here that I got from work thats used for mounting electric stuff and wow was it pricey!
Local availabilty is an issue as well. Did you hafta order a whole sheet, or did they rip it down for you?
The rain stopped here for the day, so I am gonna slicem' and dicem' today and see what the guts look like. Stay tuned... ws

[34Hatt]

Yeah sorry no pictures I am LAZY

I was able to get the Coosa local same place has the Nida core too. I think it was 4-5 sheets of 1/2" I used for cockpit of Magic Hat a 34C. It was pricey but it worked so well it took nice time so for the owner it didn't really cost anymore and it came out super. I will look for some pictures

[yachtsmanbill]

TAKING BETS....
So last night after being in the rack for an hour and WELL past the REM stage. we were awoken by a gigantic BANG. Ppat looked out the portlite and in the dark couldnt see anything and yelled out "weve been hit by a barge!!"
Well, that wasnt the case. A DRUNK single handling a 33 foot CC Coho got caught in the wind and missed his dock by 200 feet and ended up sideways behind the Roamer and backed into the port side aft quarter on the sub.
Me being the asshole that I am yelled out to the guy and asked if he was sober... Got a resounding "thumbs up". He tried to land the boat at the guest dock next door and couldnt make it. I went over and got his boat secured. I knew the guy was smashed and he got ignorant when I asked him for some ID. He refused, and started to walk up to the car. I grabbed him by the shirt and told him in no uncertain terms that he as about to get a bath... and a cold one at that! I WAS READIER THAN IVE BEEN SINCE HIGH SCHOOL !!!
I was just about to have Ppat call the cops and USCG when the yard bouncer showed up and convinced the bastard to cooperate. We exchanged info and he stayed aboard to crash out. I saw him this morning and he was very civilized and offered to make any problems right. He thanked me for not making a bad situation worse for him...
Since it was windy and raining last nite, I didnt have the chance to look too deeply into what he hit... nothing obvious anyway. After it cleared up, I found that he hit the aft port spray rail and below with his swim platform. The corner of his swim platform was busted off with blue and black bottom paint on it... and, YOU KNOW I TOOK A BUNCH OF PICS!!!
I let him slide last nite with a probable DUI etc and this morning was informed by the Ill DNR that I am obligated to file a report for any damage over $2K within 48 hours. The gendarmes are coming out tomorrow a.m. to follow up.
It looks like the spray rail will need to come off as its leaking (weeping) inside the boat, and its my guess that 20 foot rail job will exceed the 2K figure... Judges? Guesses? Bets??? The guy has BOAT US insurance and I felt HUMANE last night for not throwing him under the bus. He wouldve gotten an egg Mcmuffin after the cavity search this morning. Did I do the right thing? I get soo tired of taking it in the back door.... ws