Next Big Project: Saturated Core in Side Deck Overhang

[adt2]

Okay, fellas - I need some guidance once again. One of the issues called out in our hull survey was some saturated core in the starboard side deck overhang; survey calls it an area "approximately 3' x 15'," and we're *hopeful* it's limited to the side deck overhang area.

I understand this is potentially a very big project. I understand that the ultimate goal is to remove the saturated core material and replace with new core. I understand that ignoring the problem is going to make it worse. Please bear all of that ^^ in mind while reading this next bit.

Because this is likely to be such a big project, I am going to try to attack it in phases. As with most problems, phase 1 is going to be "eliminate the thing that is causing the problem." Toward that end, I'd like to re-bed the 800 million or so fasteners in the affected area, and apply a bead of sealant at the flybridge-to-eyebrow/side deck joint. (Remember! This is not my solution to the problem; this is just a way to keep the problem from multiplying exponentially while I work on the rest of the repair.)

My first question is: what is the proper way to do that? Is it as simple as removing the screw, squirting some marine sealant (5200 or the like) into the hole, and re-installing? Or does the process need to be more involved (like drilling oversize holes and filling with epoxy, then re-drilling for fasteners and re-installing)?

As usual - thanks in advance for your help.

 

[SEVEN]

A number of friends of mine have actually fiberglass the fly bridge onto the flybridge floor and eliminated all of the potential leak areas.

 

[adt2]

Had sometime on Facebook suggest the same thing. I'm going to seriously consider it.

 

[SEVEN]

Go to YouTube and look at repairing core. There are 100’s of videos

 

[Scarlett]

I just did the fiberglass job it was not that hard, buy some premade fiberglass tape for the job. Hardest part is the fairing after.

 

[Cricket]

When we glassed our bridge down a million years ago we tabbed the inside first so everything would stay straight when we unscrewed and then cut the outside flange off. Luckily we didn't have any core issues.

 

[bostonhatteras]

The saturated core is in the side deck or the flying bridge deck? Hatteras didn't try particularly hard to seal those screws holding down the flying bridge mold. I think they used a vinyl gasket. if you just lift the bridge 1.5" or 2" onto a few blocks and sand the bonding areas of flying bridge mold and the deck, you can lower it back down into a nice fat bead of 4200 then just up the screws one diameter size and you'll be good. glassing the bridge on is a much bigger project

 

[Eddieclemons]

When we glassed our bridge down a million years ago we tabbed the inside first so everything would stay straight when we unscrewed and then cut the outside flange off. Luckily we didn't have any core issues.

Removing my helm and seating/storage exposed screws is on my short list. Do you have any pictures? I have a estimate for tabbing inside and removing and fairing screws on the outside. I was hoping to limit paint to the non skid and lip. Thanks

 

[adt2]

The saturated core is in the side deck or the flying bridge deck? Hatteras didn't try particularly hard to seal those screws holding down the flying bridge mold. I think they used a vinyl gasket. if you just lift the bridge 1.5" or 2" onto a few blocks and sand the bonding areas of flying bridge mold and the deck, you can lower it back down into a nice fat bead of 4200 then just up the screws one diameter size and you'll be good. glassing the bridge on is a much bigger project

I like this idea much better. I probably *could* 'glass the bridge to the boat, but I'd rather not if I can get away with it.

 

[Cricket]

Our bridge had a flange on both the inside and outside, 52c would only have the inside flange with screws as the outside hangs over the house. The flanges on the older boats were not nearly as beefy as what you probably have. Saw a Viking where they recessed the screws and then glassed over the holes and finished with gelcoat, you might be able to do something similar and paint instead.

 

[johnjen50]

Pascal had a thread on this a while ago. Look that up. It involved drilling out the screw and filling with epoxy to adhere the bridge to the deck. Good read but that’s what I will do when I need to.

 

[bostonhatteras]

When fastener shopping, finish washers come in two varieties, plain and flanged. In nearly all cases the flanged is the better bet.

 

[Cricket]

Thinking truss head screws might workout better than using finishing washers, might look a little cleaner too.
Used MAS Epoxy's Gluezilla over the weekend for the first time, think it's the same as West's epoxy in a tube, as we're adding some additional battens for hook & loop to install headliner panels in the master. Anyway, super impressed with the ease of use, might be perfect for some of these bridge screw projects, etc. It's a little pricey but sure is a lot less work than mixing up various epoxy filler potions.