rot repair and foam question

[tennpenn]

I've got the floor cut out of my 1991 Searay BR200. Basically the floor was rotten under both bucket seats but in good shape thru out the rest of the boat.<br /><br />My stringers are in good shape except between the bucket seats where one of them is rotten on top. I scraped/cut out about a 1" wide x 12" long x 2" deep swath of rotted wood. <br /><br />My plan to fix the stringer as opposed to cutting it out and replacing it is to use CPES to kill the rot fungus, epoxy resin over that, then fill the 1" X 12" x 2" void with epoxy wood filler. Is this a sound plan?<br /><br />2nd question is on the floatation foam. The foam was wet under the seats but dry as you moved forward and aft. Should I replace the removed foam with 2lb density or 4lb density two part expanding foam? Anyone know what Sea Ray used back then?<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />Jeff

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: rot repair and foam question

The foam is easy and very subjective,having just done a foaming job a personal opinion would be to use 4lb with the floor already sealed.<br /> <br /> I used 8lb and the rigidty and strength it added was nothing short of astounding,probably overkill. This does give a great side benefit beyond flotation and that is rigidty,not a resign expert at all here, but it has to relieve a lot of stress on the hull which in turn should help with water penatration over time.<br /> <br />One thing to keep in mind is when foam is rated they assign it a value when it expands freely. If you put on a floor then pour it you will be limiting the rate of expansion and increasing its density..........so you might be poring 4lb and end up with 6lb....be sure you over order.. <br /><br />As to the rot,its like a cancer if you leave any it will haunt you.

 

[dmarkvid2]

Re: rot repair and foam question

How many inches wide are the stringers 8" 10"? It sounds like you can do what you are planning, as long as you get ALL of the rot out, Rot is like a cancer, and if it is not all removed, chances are it will return. It doesn't seem like you are removing all that much of the original stringer, so I think your ok. You might even want to add a sister stringer on both sides of the original around the area you are fixing, going 10 to 12 inches beyond the fix on both sides. Screw it good, and glass it all around.

 

[tennpenn]

Re: rot repair and foam question

Thanks Tail Gunner...think I will go with the 4lb foam. <br /><br />Marks's Joy...the stringers are 10" deep where the rot is/was. Adding the sister stringer is a good idea, I hadn't really thought of that. I'll plan on doing that as well.<br /><br />I'm going to use a Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer on the stringer before using the epoxy wood filler. It is claimed by the 'Doctor' that makes it, that it penetrates the wood, kills the rot fungus, then seals and hardens the wood. Has anyone used this stuff before and knows this to be true/untrue?

 

[Chris1956]

Re: rot repair and foam question

Tenn, If you are going to sister up the stringer anyway, I would cut out all the rot. I do not think epoxy will kill the rot. Use some cloth/epoxy to bed the sister stringers, also some cloth/epoxy between the stringers and ss screws to hold the whole mess together until the epoxy dries. Then coat the outside of the stringers with epoxy. Now replace the foam and floor. Cloth/Poly resin is OK for covering the floor.

 

[Terrulle]

Re: rot repair and foam question

If you are going to pour the foam in an already sealed floor.....Don't forget the vent holes. I've seen someone literally "blow up" his deck. Then clean up the holes, treat the core(probably wood?) and glass the holes.

 

[Terrulle]

Re: rot repair and foam question

Or...... make sure you pour in the exact amount for the section you are filling

 

[tennpenn]

Re: rot repair and foam question

Thanks Chris.<br /><br />Terry...I will be cutting vent holes about every 18 inches, but thanks for the reminder.

 

[dmarkvid2]

Re: rot repair and foam question

If you didn't want to use foam, another suggestion is to go buy the pink 2" thick industrial styrofoam. It comes 8' long. If you buy 5 pieces, and epoxy them together, that would make a 10" thick piece. Then you could just cut, and shape them to the areas you want to fill. You could even if you want, to wrap them in plastic, leaving air vent holes at the top of the plastic for air flow. That pink foam will not soak up water, and will not rot. Its alittle more work, but alot less expensive. Check under the gunwales, and up underneath the transom area there might be foam there too. My boat does.

 

[jbezanson]

Re: rot repair and foam question

Will the pink foam not soak water even on the cut edges?

 

[dmarkvid2]

Re: rot repair and foam question

Itchy, No, I don't beleive it will soak up water if the edges are cut. If it gives you piece of mind, you can also coat that styrofoam with water proof rubber adhesive. Comes in a can at Home Depot. Or like I said, you can cover it all in a plastic sheet. Even the cheapest surf boards kids use at the beach are made of styrofoam, and they never water log.