I'll let the skilled folks chime in with more specific answers, but I can relate what one of our handy guys did to his Cal 34 a few years ago. It is something you could do to get started.
Where the cabin roof was soggy, he covered the boat (in the water for the winter) and put a heater inside. He then drilled a bunch of holes (from the inside) up into the balsa, turned on the heat and let it dry out over the winter. I don't remember whether he pulled the inside skin off or just filled the holes and cleaned up the mess the following spring, but he got rid of the moisture and firmed up the cabin roof. Gary ----- Original Message ----- From: Burt Stratton via CnC-List To: cnc-list@cnc-list.com Sent: Thursday, January 15, 2015 9:25 AM Subject: Stus-List balsa core I have resigned myself to the fact that I need to address my decks and cockpit sole. The PO installed wood strips fore to aft on the cockpit sole ostensibly to provide some lateral traction. They were not properly bedded and as you might imagine, the wood strips did not last long. There are open screw holes and if I step next to them water comes out. That is an obvious problem. The reason I am concerned about my decks, particularly my cabin roof is the fact that a brown wet film will form over time on the inside of the cabin roof. My roof has no headliner. The paint was peeling badly when I bought the boat and I have stripped it off. If I clean the fiberglass and wait a few days the film gradually appears. My assumption is that there may be a wet core in the roof. I will get a surveyor to take readings with his moisture tool to confirm but assuming that is the case, I would appreciate any insight by listers who have tackled this problem. I am not an experienced fiberglass guy. I don't particularly like working with fiberglass but I am pretty handy otherwise and would be willing to attempt this work in order to save a few hard earned bucks. Here are a couple specific questions: 1. What would the balsa typically be replaced with? An appropriate thickness of mat? 2. Should I attempt to save the fiberglass skin I remove to be re-used or just use new fabric to glass over the repair? 3. Assuming I work from the inside, how do I defy gravity to keep the new mat or fabric from falling down until it cures? Does the resin have enough mastic properties to keep it up? It is starting to look like the coming season may be lost for me. I have a lot to do and can't do most of it until the temps increase. I do want to rehabilitate this boat and do it right. I think it will be worth it whether I keep the boat or sell her when I'm done. The boat is covered so I am hoping it will dry out a bit before I start. Thanks as always Skip 1974 CNC 33 3/4tonner On the hard in Walpole, MA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album. Please donate to the C&C Photo Album to keep this list free for all subscribers. Email address: CnC-List@cnc-list.com To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go bottom of page at: http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com
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