The factory-installed extended swim deck on my boat (2007 Azure AZ220 Sportdeck) suffers from water incursion and presumably has since new. The swim deck is physically connected to the boat hull with bolts. I discovered the water incursion when drilling holes for a pedestal base for a grill. I certainly think it would be preferable to remedy the situation but have no desire to cut the support structure open for further investigation/replacement. My initial thoughts are to flood the deck with some Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer (CPES™
through the initial point of water incursion. Of course I must attempt to dry the core and support materials as much as possible first. My thought on that is to flood the deck with acetone, drain and then use pressurized air over the months before boating season begins to evaporate the acetone/water as much as possible. There is an open path for pressurized air to travel. (The attached picture shows the water incursion point with an arrow and the drain holes I drilled in the support structures circled.)
During drilling of the deck I did not encounter anything in the 1/4" to 1/2" core I believed was wood or styrofoam. However when drilling holes in the support structures I encountered a material that retained water very well. This support structure material was the color of wood but had more of a composite-looking texture. After allowing the extracted material to dry I ignited it to see what happened. There was a minimal amount of flame with more of a glowing phenomenon. What remained was not typical wood ash. (I can post a picture of the remnants if it will help anyone.) After draining what water was in the structural support channels, the remaining material does not feel particularly mushy when poked with an ice pick. My theory is that since the support structure material does appear to absorb water it should absorb the CPES™ as well and therefore solidify the structure in order to preclude the necessity of replacement.
I would like to know, to the best of my ability to determine, what materials the deck core and support structures are before the acetone-flooding as I realize acetone will immediately damage some resin-based materials. ( http://sevierlab.vet.cornell.edu/res...art-Detail.pdf )
The boat manufacturer (Bennington Marine) will be of no help as they by all reports quit responding to any questions about the brand when they ceased manufacturing it in 2009.
Anybody care to take a stab as to what the deck core but more importantly the support-structure materials might be?
Or, am I over-thinking it all and should just not worry about the water incursion? The swim deck does seem solid and not anywhere close to being compromised.
through the initial point of water incursion. Of course I must attempt to dry the core and support materials as much as possible first. My thought on that is to flood the deck with acetone, drain and then use pressurized air over the months before boating season begins to evaporate the acetone/water as much as possible. There is an open path for pressurized air to travel. (The attached picture shows the water incursion point with an arrow and the drain holes I drilled in the support structures circled.)During drilling of the deck I did not encounter anything in the 1/4" to 1/2" core I believed was wood or styrofoam. However when drilling holes in the support structures I encountered a material that retained water very well. This support structure material was the color of wood but had more of a composite-looking texture. After allowing the extracted material to dry I ignited it to see what happened. There was a minimal amount of flame with more of a glowing phenomenon. What remained was not typical wood ash. (I can post a picture of the remnants if it will help anyone.) After draining what water was in the structural support channels, the remaining material does not feel particularly mushy when poked with an ice pick. My theory is that since the support structure material does appear to absorb water it should absorb the CPES™ as well and therefore solidify the structure in order to preclude the necessity of replacement.
I would like to know, to the best of my ability to determine, what materials the deck core and support structures are before the acetone-flooding as I realize acetone will immediately damage some resin-based materials. ( http://sevierlab.vet.cornell.edu/res...art-Detail.pdf )
The boat manufacturer (Bennington Marine) will be of no help as they by all reports quit responding to any questions about the brand when they ceased manufacturing it in 2009.
Anybody care to take a stab as to what the deck core but more importantly the support-structure materials might be?
Or, am I over-thinking it all and should just not worry about the water incursion? The swim deck does seem solid and not anywhere close to being compromised.
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