soft spot on floor

[jaguirre]

I have developed a soft spot on my floor right where I stand while at the helm. Measures 18"x18"... What are the chances that my stringer is rotted? If I wait until next fall to fix the floor do I run a chance in harming the rest of the hull? The boat still feels solid in 2-3' chop. <br /><br />If I wait until next fall how much worse can it get?<br /><br />The boat is a 18'6" Kenner V<br /><br />Thanks <br /><br />Jorge

 

[Solittle]

Re: soft spot on floor

I can't tell you how long it will take for the rot to spread but I can tell you how to stop it until you can replace the floor.<br /><br /> Get a large hypodermic (sp?) needle (like for horses) and some automotive antifreeze. Drill a few holes in the soft area and inject it with the antifreeze. It kills the mold that causes rot. Need to be very careful of the hypo as the needles are very sharp. You might also probe the drilled holes with an ice pick as the tip of the needle of the hypo gets clogged with the rotten wood easily.