Water In Wooden Core

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Water In Wooden Core

Postby Guest » Sat Jun 08, 2002 10:08 pm

I have a 1983 Spindrift DSI which I think has had water leaking through cracks in the floor into the wooden core below (I think it is balsa wood). When I step on the floor, water (brown,dirty) seeps out of the cracks. I'm concerned that the wood is going to rot and the structure of the boat will be in jeopardy. Is there anything that can be done to dry out the core? Is this in fact a problem that I need to be concerned with?

Thanks,
Tim

Tim Otis (tim-at-otis.mv.com)
Guest
 

Postby Guest » Sun Jun 09, 2002 1:26 pm

Tim-
I have a Rebel built in 1979, it has a 3/8 balsa core. A few years ago I had a very small hole on the inside covering of fiberglass, when water got inside the boat it would seep in the hole and saturate the balsa. I used a small hand heled grinding wheel to cut a eight inch square piece of fiberglass from the insde, then removed it and then removed the water soked balsa and replaced it with a new piece. I first preaped the area buy drying it out with a light bulb held about 2 feet away for about 8 hours. After drying, paint some epoxy on the inside of the exposed hull, lay in the core and cover with fber glass and seal with epoxy. I do not think it is a good idea to let the balsa to contine to take on water. If your leak has created only a small soft spot then just seal up the hole that is alowing water to get betwwenthe hull's. If its six inches or more you should consider removing the soft core and replacing it with new.

Dave

Dave Misunas (misunas-at-sasquatch.com)
Guest
 


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