Uh Oh - Needs opinions quick please

[GJD]

Have not signed final acceptance to purchase on the boat. Just found a serious deck/core problem inside the P flybridge. Water is leaking into the salon where the big bundle of wires pierces the deck. 6" away from that the deck is cracked and bulging upward by about 1". The crack is in an L shape about 6" x 6". Surveyor had said he noted moisture in that area but obviously did not see the huge breach.

Only reasonable fix I can see is to pull the bridge, fix the core and reassemble. Any guesses as to how much that might cost ???

[Passages]

Sorry to hear this. Prior to selling my boat, I discovered and similar situation. I had a 4" crack in the gelcoat which had allowed water to delaminate the house side for a radius of 3'. Had 2 Fiberglass experts bid the job. Both bids came within a stones throw of $12,000.

It sounds like your problem is even more advanced. Genesis has a very detailed thread of his adventure repairing a bit of a coring problem near his bow and said it would have been priced at $10,000 or more top fix.

Sorrry to be the bearer of bad news, but these problems are never cheap or easy. Plus, it takes real craftmanship to perform the repair correctly.

[captddis]

That looks like rust! Hatteras used metal plates under the glass to inset eyes and pull the parts from the mold. Typically as the glass shrinks they cause a bulge. I have removed 3 steel plates from my cockpit and deck. I bet that is what you are looking at. I have never seen rotten balsa cause a deck to bulge and crack.

[GJD]

Interesting point ddis! I hadn't thought of that one and yet I'm at a loss too to explain the rusty looking discoloration.

[MarioG]

Rotting core does take on a brownish color. Sometimes "weeping" out of screw holes and/or cracks.

[captddis]

Thats rust not brown/black balsa mush.