1996 Bayliner Capri (1952) Deck Restoration

[maddog238]

First I would like to say that I love these forums. Your comments... if combined together would make a great book.

I am removing the deck from my 1996 Bayliner Cuddy (1952) Mercruiser I/O. The root of the rot of my deck began at the ski locker. I am planning on my deck to be a continous flat sheet with no cutouts for a ski locker. To me, it is a waste of space because I have the cuddy.

My question is, can i seal off the drain ports that were originally in the ski locker. Thus, in my thinking, the furthest water can get in entering from the bilge would be from the bilge to the gas tank area.

Your comments and thought are completely welcome.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

My question is, can i seal off the drain ports that were originally in the ski locker. Thus, in my thinking, the furthest water can get in entering from the bilge would be from the bilge to the gas tank area.

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,.... Yer thinkin' is Flawed,...
There's NO such thing as a water-Proof compartment in a boat....

If ALL yer compartments are set up with limber holes, 'n drainage is complete, down to the pumpable bilge,...
That's 'bout as Good as it gets...

Not allowin' Drainage is what Rots boats....

 

[maddog238]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Ayuh,... Welcome Aboard,.... Yer thinkin' is Flawed,...
There's NO such thing as a water-Proof compartment in a boat....

If ALL yer compartments are set up with limber holes, 'n drainage is complete, down to the pumpable bilge,...
That's 'bout as Good as it gets...

Not allowin' Drainage is what Rots boats....

Thanks for your quick response.

I will follow your recommondation and leave/rebuild the drain ports that are already in the ski locker area

Do I have to have the ski locker access?

My plan is to add additional braces across the stringers and place a solid piece of plywood over top.

Is this flawed thinking too?

All comments are welcome and appreciated.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Maybe you could install a smaller, stronger hatch/access(you can purchase a variety of these), opening to your ski locker so you can open it up for inspection, air it out, use it to store anchor, ropes, PFD's, etc....no sense to just waste that storage space?...

 

[maddog238]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Maybe you could install a smaller, stronger hatch/access(you can purchase a variety of these), opening to your ski locker so you can open it up for inspection, air it out, use it to store anchor, ropes, PFD's, etc....no sense to just waste that storage space?...

You are right! I should no do away with the ski locker access. Anyone have any recommendations or links on how to build a new hatch. Mine is still in tact but the wood is rotted through and through

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

You are right! I should no do away with the ski locker access. Anyone have any recommendations or links on how to build a new hatch. Mine is still in tact but the wood is rotted through and through

If you dont want a ski locker .. dont make one .. or remove the old one ( I assume its fiberglass )

Secure the deck.

Are we missing something here in the description ?

YD.

 

[maddog238]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

If you dont want a ski locker .. dont make one .. or remove the old one ( I assume its fiberglass )

Secure the deck.

Are we missing something here in the description ?

YD.

Yacht DR. My question is,
if I decide to cover the ski locker with one solid piece of plywood sheet, can the ski lockers PVC drain (where water would have exited from the ski locker to the rear of the boat (bilge)) can that be blocked off. The reason i am asking, is that piece of wood that had the drain **** in it for water to drain to the bilge (also dividing the gas tank and the ski locker area) is rotted out . I need to replace it. I just need to know if i could replace it with a solid piece of wood.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

So basically you want to 'Cap off' the ski locker ?

Not only should you keep the drain in the locker .. but you might want to blow a few holes in the upper end so you can have circulation in the compartment.

If im reading you right...

YD.

 

[maddog238]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

So basically you want to 'Cap off' the ski locker ?

Not only should you keep the drain in the locker .. but you might want to blow a few holes in the upper end so you can have circulation in the compartment.

If im reading you right...

YD.

Halelujuah. You got it! The wife always tells me that I stink at explaining things. So my new support needs to include the drain....got it.

As far as blowing holes in the upper end, do they need to be at the bottom with a PVC pipe sticking through it, midway up, or close to the top? That piece of wood is also rotten an I will need to replace it too

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

As far as blowing holes in the upper end, do they need to be at the bottom with a PVC pipe sticking through it, midway up, or close to the top? That piece of wood is also rotten an I will need to replace it too

Basically what Im saying..is that if your going to have a covered compartment thats under the deck ..its going to have drain hole(s) in the bottom..and vent holes at the upper end of the sides of the compartment.

No need for PVC..just seal the holes with some 5200. Prep for the 5200 first and then seal the crap outa the holes.

YD.

 

[maddog238]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Thanks for all the help. I have decided to utilize the ski locker space. Let me ask another question not related to the ski locker.

I am trying to avoid ripping out the bayliner seat bases. i have removed all the foam and dried up the half inch of water that had settled. Is it possible to just recoat the seat base with poly resin and slap on layer of 1.5 csm?

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Thanks for all the help. I have decided to utilize the ski locker space. Let me ask another question not related to the ski locker.

I am trying to avoid ripping out the bayliner seat bases. i have removed all the foam and dried up the half inch of water that had settled. Is it possible to just recoat the seat base with poly resin and slap on layer of 1.5 csm?

Its possible..really depends on the condition of the wood.

Got some pics to throw at us ?

YD.

 

[maddog238]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Its possible..really depends on the condition of the wood.

Got some pics to throw at us ?

YD.

I will take pics this evening and have them uploaded by this time tomorrow.

 

[maddog238]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant


After I took these pictures, i decided to take out the seat base on the passenger's side. Dont have that picture yet because my phone died.
As you will see on the driver's side seat base, I cut off the lip and also cut out a square so I can have better access to the foam. Fortunately the foam was dry.... however I cut into the seat base where your feet would be.

1. Now that i cut into the seat base, can i just put plywood over top of the cutout seat base pieces?
2. Can I just cut out where the feet would be and make it flat?

Your thoughts and opinions are greatly appreciated.

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Fortunately the foam was dry.... ?

Your thoughts and opinions are greatly appreciated.

Did you core sample the foam? It can appear to be "Dry" on the top but can be very wet on the bottom. It's usually necessary to use a 1 1/2" piece of PVC pipe with some "Teeth" cut in one end and "Drill" down thru the foam till you hit the hull and then pull the foam out to see if there's water down below. From the looks of your wood you have some rot going on.

 

[maddog238]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

View attachment 141524
Woodonglass, The upper part of the foam was dry. However down in the crack where the stinger meets the hull, that area had a quarter inch of water. I have removed all of that foam. As you can see from the picture where i cut out a square shape, that foam was all dry. Are you saying that removing the bottom part of the foam under the seat base is not enough and I need to remove the seat base in there entirety?

View attachment 141527
As far as rot, the stringers 'seem' to be rock solid except where the middle bracket (in front of the gas tank) touches the striger. I dug into that area with a pic and dug it out until soft black wood stop coming out.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

I would double check your stringers. Looks like there is more rot then you might think.

Your boxes should be wrapped in fiberglass and not just capped.

More pix the better ..

YD.

 

[maddog238]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Yacht Dr., Double check stringers. Are you referring to drilling in pilot holes from the top of stringers to see if dry wood shaving appear?

If I find that the stringer are rotten in some place but not all, do I cut them out? sister in new ones? rip everything out and start from the beginning?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Everything on a boat generally rots from the bottom up. Use a drill and drill into your stringers as low as you can and see what kind of shavings you get. If they are dark and wet then, Yep they gotta come out and be replaced. They won't dry out and will continue to rot. ON the foam If there's water below the the foam is soaking in that water and it will not dry out and it could be adding several hundred lbs of weight to your boat. You really need to do a lot more thorough investigation and probing

 

[maddog238]

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Re: Do i need a drain port in the ski locker if I remove/cover the ski locker permant

Everything on a boat generally rots from the bottom up. Use a drill and drill into your stringers as low as you can and see what kind of shavings you get. If they are dark and wet then, Yep they gotta come out and be replaced. They won't dry out and will continue to rot. ON the foam If there's water below the the foam is soaking in that water and it will not dry out and it could be adding several hundred lbs of weight to your boat. You really need to do a lot more thorough investigation and probing

I am going to do some probing after work today. I am going to drill pilot holes from the bottom of the stringers. I will tell you exactly what I find.

I am on a budget just like everyone else in these forums :facepalm:. I am going to reuse my bayliner lounge seats but am really nervous about rebuilding the seats. My carpentry skill are ok but no wear near like some of the other rebuilds i've seen here. is there an easier way to rebuild the seat bases? Also, do i glass both inside and outside of the new seat bases or can i get away with 1 coat of poly with hardner?