Fw: catalina27-talk: Deck Sounding, water intrusion.

[mcewenjv]

Whiskey Girl (1973 C-27)  has a birdbath shaped depression around the mast.  Probably the mast step is gone since Catalina didn't do much in the way of water/rot proofing it in early boats, and the coach roof has almost certainly absorbed water.   You can't really use a hammer to sound the deck in this area since the mast compression forces keep everything pressed together.  The suggested repair method for the deck was to pull the mast, sound the deck and do a few test holes to establish a dry perimeter, then cut out three sides of the top glass, leaving a "flap" that could be levered up.  Dig out the soggy stuff, cut and paste new core into the resulting hole and fill with epoxy and glue the flap back down.  Some of the back issues of Good Old Boat and I think one of the Don Casey books talks about doing this.  A local yard (Dana Point, CA) gave me an estimate of $2K to do that and replace the mast step.
Jim McEwen, Whiskey Girl, Dana Point, CA

*************************************************************************
 From a former owner, occasional lurker,

A a rather large section of a dock mate's deck core was soggy, and his  
fix was simple, cost effective, not too terribly invasive and  
permanent.  He drilled a small hole every inch or so through the deck  
and the core, but not all the way through.   When the wood shavings  
coming out of the holes was dry, he knew he had gone far enough in that  
direction.  He covered the deck with plastic kept away from the deck to  
allow air flow.  He then heated the underside of the deck with an  
electric heater to drive the moisture out of the core.  I don't recall  
how long the drying process took, but it was more like weeks, not days.
When the core was dry he then injected epoxy into the thousands of  
holes, faired it, painted it, done.  I stood on it after the repair and  
it felt rock solid.

Good luck,

Michael
Newport 30
San Diego


On Dec 5, 2005, at 3:18 PM, ahoyther wrote:

>  Larry,
>
>  I think you're going to have a pretty tough time trying to get the  
> Git Rot (assuming that is what you plan to use) to penetrate six feet  
> laterally of deck, without opening it up to get it dry and have a  
> decent base for the epoxy.  Do you think  cutting the deck skin,  
> opening it up yourself, and then replacing it after you've treated the  
> core might have better possibilities?
>
>  Best regards,
>
>  Dave Hoy
>  WYANOKEE #6295
>  Camden, Maine 
>
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>> Hi Rory,
>>
>> Well, its all speculation as to wether it will work or not.  
>> Admittedly,
>> getting the epoxy to travel through 6 feet of decking seems like  
>> quite a
>> bit.  It is very thin epoxy (water like in viscosity).  If after  
>> treating
>> it and sounding it, it still has voids, I figure I will just get a  
>> very
>> small drill bit and drill some holes through the decking and inject  
>> the
>> epoxy through a siringe.
>>
>> Its a gamble to be sure, but I'm rolling a weekend of work and a  
>> hundred
>> dollars against what could be a 5K job.  Given that a 30 year old C27
>> might only be worth 5K, I don't see the 5K job as even being a option.
>>
>> I don't even think that MY boat even needs it, but to please the  
>> surveyors
>> and future buyers, its probably money and time well spent.
>>
>> Hope that helps,
>>
>> Larry Taborek
>> C27 Dixie Chicken
>>
>>
>>> I think your success will be a function of how far the epoxy has to
>>> travel, in a small area drying process and saturation may be  
>>> effective.
>>> The rotten core on this boat is wide spread about six feet from front
>>> lower all they way back to cockpit. This will require removal of  
>>> liner and
>>> layer above to remove large portion of core. The Estimate is 5K.
>>>   My biggest concern is how strong this area will be relative to a
>>> properly maintained deck that is dry, even with the high dollar
>>> professional core replacemnt and refinishing.
>>>
>>>   If
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>>>   Hi Rory,
>>>
>>> My boat has much the same problem. Heres my plan for dealing with the
>>> problem. I plan on doing this during spring haul out.
>>>
>>> First, I will remove the interior cabinetry to allow me full access  
>>> to the
>>> hull to deck joint from the interior cabin.
>>>
>>> Next I will remove the deck (not cabintop) chin plate bolts. I will  
>>> then
>>> duct tape up the interior holes, or plug them with a dowell.
>>>
>>> On the exterior chin plate bolt holes I will affix a shop vac and  
>>> blow low
>>> pressure air through the deck cavity in a attempt to dry out the  
>>> interior
>>> decking. Maby a hair dryer would be better.
>>>
>>> Next I will duct tape up the interior hull to deck joint where in  
>>> the past
>>> the coring has seaped out. Any place where coring has leaked will be  
>>> a
>>> place where the thinned epoxy will leak. Duct tape this well.
>>>
>>> Next I will use this product:
>>>
>>> http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/to;
>>> ID;,Epoxy...Adhesives,Smith...Co..Epoxy,CPES.Clear.Penetrating.Epoxy.
>>> Sealer
>>>
>>> My understanding is that it WILL treat wet coring (to some degree).  
>>> It
>>> contains some chemicals that will react with any moisture in the  
>>> wood and
>>> dry it out. It is very thin so it should flow through any deck  
>>> cavity. I
>>> will basically fill up the deck cavity until the epoxy is at the  
>>> level of
>>> the side decks. I'll let it dry, then re-drill out the chin plate  
>>> bolt
>>> holes.
>>>
>>> Then re-sound the deck with a hammer. If any voids (probably trapped  
>>> air
>>> bubbles) still sound in the decking, I plan on drilling very small  
>>> holes
>>> and then injecting the CPES with a seringe. Put it all together.
>>>
>>> Done.
>>>
>>> Call it a couple of hundred and a weekend of work.
>>>
>>> Hope that helps,
>>>
>>> Larry Taborek
>>> C27 Dixie Chicken
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> During survey of 1988 Catalina 27 side deck around chain plates and
>>>> further aft about 4 foot section determined to have either  
>>>> delamination
>>>> or
>>>> water intrusion.This was indicated while deck was being sounded, or  
>>>> hit
>>>> with small hammer every 6 inches or so.Refereed to specialist, to  
>>>> have
>>>> deck inspected by drilling 3 inch holes for further inspection and
>>>> cause.
>>>> Then repair scheme to be determined.Has anyone been through repair
>>>> schemes, one is to inject epoxy if core is dry and delamination  
>>>> exist,
>>>> the
>>>> other is for deck removal and core removal and replacement, with
>>>> required
>>>> refinishing.The sounding process seems fairly straight forward on  
>>>> deck
>>>> at
>>>> least,and I would considering doing myself in future before expense  
>>>> of
>>>> survey haulout etc.
>>>> Otherwise the boat is above average for year.
>>>>
>>>> The Emmerichs wrote:
>>>> Rory,
>>>>
>>>> Thanks for the link. This may make changing coolant much easier.
>>>>
>>>> John Emmerich
>>>> 5874 C27 TR Louisville, KY
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: catalina27-talk@memberclicks.com
>>>> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Rory Hammond
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, November 30, 2005 8:36 AM
>>>> To: catalina27-talk@memberclicks.com
>>>> Subject: RE: catalina27-talk: winterizing (while I'm at it...)
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> This site has decent images of engine and coolant drain.
>>>> http://www.marinedieseldirect.com/universal/200157/universal-
>>>> owners-manual-m-18-specifications.html
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Rory Hammond
>>>> Aviation Laboratories Inc.
>>>> 5401 Mitchelldale # B6
>>>> Houston, TX 77092
>>>> 1-800-256-6876, 713-864-6677, Fax 713-864-6990
>>>> Cell 713-805-7171,Business email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>>> Please visit our website www.avlab.com
>>>> Have a Wonderful Day !
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Dixie Chicken is FOR SALE: You can view the boat at:
>>> http://www.taborek.net/Dixie_Chicken/For_Sale/For_Sale.shtml
>>>
>>>
>>> -----------------------------------------
>>> Join ISP.COM today - $8.95 internet , less than 1/2 the cost of AOL
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>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Rory Hammond
>>> Aviation Laboratories Inc.
>>> 5401 Mitchelldale # B6
>>> Houston, TX 77092
>>> 1-800-256-6876, 713-864-6677, Fax 713-864-6990
>>> Cell 713-805-7171,Business email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>> Please visit our website www.avlab.com
>>> Have a Wonderful Day !
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Dixie Chicken is FOR SALE:  You can view the boat at:
>> http://www.taborek.net/Dixie_Chicken/For_Sale/For_Sale.shtml
>>
>>
>> -----------------------------------------
>> Join ISP.COM today - $8.95 internet , less than 1/2 the cost of AOL
>> Try us out, http://www.isp.com/
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>