how to check to see if a boat is waterlogged

[v8etr]

My friend just bought a 84 ranger bass boat and he thinks it might be water logged and either one of us don't know how to check for it. Any help would be nice.
Thanks

 

[mike64]

Re: how to check to see if a boat is waterlogged

First use a small diameter drillbit and make some test holes in the deck to check for stringers. Then drill out a 2" hole in the deck between the stringers with a hole saw attachment. That gives you access to the foam. A 1" piece of pvc pipe with one end notched and sharpened can be used to get a core sample of the foam.

The hole can be sealed up with the cutout piece and some 3M 5200 marine sealant.

 

[jdlough]

Re: how to check to see if a boat is waterlogged

Or (for a rough idea) figure how much the boat and trailer should weigh, and check it on a scale.
The local dump probably has a vehicle scale, or a rock quarry/landscapping stone place will have one. (Or, maybe a truck weighing station along a highway will let you use theirs, if you bribe them with doughnuts)

Weigh the car, boat, and trailer first. Then just the car. Subtract to find the boat/trailer weight.

Or, if possible, weigh car, boat, trailer. Put boat in water. Weigh car and trailer (with same amount of gas, people, junk in car). Subtract to find exact weight of boat.

Before doing any of this, remove all your stuff from the boat. Don't forget to account for after-market weight on the boat - gas, bimini tops, whatever else your boat specification information doesn't know about.

 

[oops!]

Re: how to check to see if a boat is waterlogged

the above way of weighing it will give you the weight......

there is a hull tag on the boat that will tell you the hull weight...and the trailer will also have a tag........

if you weigh the boat and find it seems heavy to what it should be.....

then do what was suggested in the first post.....search core sample

 

[jdlough]

Re: how to check to see if a boat is waterlogged

Just judging from other posts, waterlogged foam would add 300 pounds or so the the expected weight (for 19' bowrider type boats, anyway)

Again, no real experience here, just post-reading experience.

Jim