Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

[NMShooter]

Still in the hunt for a boat, and found a clean one with good mechanicals, 98 Monterey Montura. Only thing I can ding it for is a soft spot in the deck which is off to the side of the boat. The soft spot feels to be about 3"-4" in diameter.

Do these sort of things stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to worsen until repaired? I'm curious if this is delamination due to moisture, or if this is more similar to mold damage.

Thanks!

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

most people correctly assume that the soft spot indicates larger problems below, such as a rotted stringer, since rot usually moves from the hull bottom up. But that is not always the case and boats with soft spots may run for years without flying to pieces. To me, the bigger question is the strength of the transom.
So whether you buy a boat with a soft spot (and assuming you aren't buying to rebuild from day one) is the price and how long you intend to keep it. A 15 year old boat can be a good one to run for a few years then replace.

 

[okbayliner]

Re: Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

it's not going to fix it self. You would have to at the very least replace that spot but more likely sign of larger problem. You should pass on it unless you want to pay for surveyor.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

Chances are high the foam under the deck is saturated with water, and the stingers and transom may look like mushy shredded wheat on the inside. These are problems that don't heal them selves up with a little dry air. Shop cautiously...

 

[NMShooter]

Re: Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

Thank you for the help. If I decide to proceed with this boat I'll definitely bring it to someone for a full inspection.

So many things to beware of... I think soft decks and rotted transoms are my biggest fear for these mid 90's boats that I am looking at.

 

[SDSeville]

Re: Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

An older boat with soft spot should send you running...unless you are up to joining us in the restoration forum.

Do a search on "soft spot" in that forum and you will be reading for days on posts that started out -- "She is perfect except for one soft spot..."

 

[NMShooter]

Re: Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

Yeah...... rats.
I saw some of FriscoJarretts videos on his excellent used boat that turned out to have a rotten deck, and the trouble he had. I suspect I should keep looking. Dang.

Well, that's why I come here. I need advice from those more experienced than I am.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

Still in the hunt for a boat, and found a clean one with good mechanicals, 98 Monterey Montura. Only thing I can ding it for is a soft spot in the deck which is off to the side of the boat. The soft spot feels to be about 3"-4" in diameter.

Do these sort of things stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to worsen until repaired? I'm curious if this is delamination due to moisture, or if this is more similar to mold damage.

Thanks!

Nope.. a soft spot is an indication of .. well bad wood and weak glass. Yes it will worsen More or Less depending on where the water intrusion is identified and repaired.

It is a delam issue and not a mold issue. Mold comes after the wood rots.

You probably have a deck issue that is 2x larger then what you feel.

Yeah...... rats.
I saw some of FriscoJarretts videos on his excellent used boat that turned out to have a rotten deck, and the trouble he had. I suspect I should keep looking. Dang.

Well, that's why I come here. I need advice from those more experienced than I am.

Please .. do not Ever take the recommendations here or any other forum to Completely Determine your own self direction on buying/investing. .. Now granted If you posted an X Boat that I personally suggest Do NOT buy .. then take that under consideration.

Investigate the boat Yourself before tossing it to the side..

Just saying that every boat with a soft spot does not mean it should be in the trash bin or a full scale resto.

YD.

 

[NMShooter]

Re: Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

Well, the tricky part is that in order to know it the stringers are rotten, I need to drill some holes, which the seller may not be fond of. Or at least pull some screws out of the transom and look for black gunk... right?

Another question... on the newer boats such as a 2000 Four Winns that has a fiberglass deck, are the stringers still wood? Seems like the fiberglass deck is a great idea, except that it can now mask rot down below.

Arrgggghhhh.

The issue is that we don't have a bunch of money budgeted for this, and I am trying to find a sound boat for ~$7500 maybe a little more.

Having to travel 250+ miles to get to a market where there are more boats to select from doesn't help. Doggone.

 

[theBrownskull]

Re: Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

Keep looking. That $7500 did not come easy.

 

[jayhanig]

Re: Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

My boat had a soft deck with a mushy spot directly adjacent to the engine. When we pulled up the deck, we discovered rot pretty much everywhere, but the stringers were good. Now my deck is like walking on concrete.

I was warned early on what I was getting myself into and yet I jumped in anyway. I spend a ton of money restoring my boat but I think I ended up with something worth having. So I guess it's all in what your expectations are. If you want to avoid a lengthy down time while things get corrected, keep looking. If you're willing to spend the money, effort and time required, you can still end up with something pretty good. But if you just want to avoid the hassle, buy something with solid decks to begin with.

 

[25thmustang]

Re: Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

A soft spot on the deck could very well be just a soft spot and some core damage to the deck. I wouldn't immediately run without digging a bit deeper. Fixing a deck is probably the simplest of the core repair work (verse transom and stringers) and if its just a smaller area, you might pass on a great boat for what some may call a minor issue.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

Yeah...... rats.
I saw some of FriscoJarretts videos on his excellent used boat that turned out to have a rotten deck, and the trouble he had. I suspect I should keep looking. Dang.

Well, that's why I come here. I need advice from those more experienced than I am.

isn't shopping for used boats fun??? You will be dealing with imperfections in just about every boat that you look at. So, it is going to be a matter of compromising and finding something with the least amount of issues. Just about every boat will have some structural issues, based on your budget range, as they will tend to be 10+ years old, and that is when issues become noticeable.

keep looking, you will probably find something.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

Well, the tricky part is that in order to know it the stringers are rotten, I need to drill some holes, which the seller may not be fond of. Or at least pull some screws out of the transom and look for black gunk... right?

Thats the thing of buying a used boat from someone. You kinda have to educate yourself or spend the cash for a survey.

So you have a boat with a soft spot in the deck.. could it be completely rotted out ? Who knows..

It could be that a screw or two from mounting a module was not done correctly .. or it could be that the stringers are toast and now creeping into the deck. ( Localized Vs. Wide spread ).

You could find a boat that has hard decks .. looks good .. well maintained .. but still have problems with the stringers or transom that you would never know about unless YOU checked it out.

Its just way hard to tell you one way or another if the prospect boat has too much damage to warrant "go find another boat"

I know 7-8k can buy you one heck of a boat if you look around and have patience .

Having to travel 250+ miles to get to a market where there are more boats to select from doesn't help. Doggone.

I do understand this point..

Good luck and keep us updated .

YD.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

The issue is that we don't have a bunch of money budgeted for this, and I am trying to find a sound boat for ~$7500 maybe a little more.

Having to travel 250+ miles to get to a market where there are more boats to select from doesn't help. Doggone.

I put on several thousand miles over the summer driving around the northeast looking at boats . . . I looked at 12 boats total. Upstate New York (8 hours), New Jersey Shore (6 hours), Connecticut (3 hours), Massachusetts, New Hampshire (2 hours), Cape Cod

Finally found one relatively close . . . only 2 hours away. . . Lake Winnipesaukee. NH . . .

My advice would be to keep at it . . . don't wait until Spring time as in that price range, the boats move quick as the season approaches.

 

[NMShooter]

Re: Do soft spots on decks stabilize if kept dry, or do they continue to spread?

As luck would have it, I now have three that I am considering. One in Colorado, one in AZ, and one in TX. And of course, I live in NM

Thanks for the help. God knows I need it.