See full version: Leak through crack in gelcoat on bottom of hull
The black paint/tarp method is a proven method for drying composite hulls of any size. If water is leaking out of the crack, I would definitely let it out that way, and try to help it--perhaps even drilling a hole or holes there, since the area will need repair anyway. Sure that area will be wet, but the fractured laminate should be cut away in any event, and drying out glass is pretty easy compared to foam. Solid laminate will not absorb much water. [links]
Gelcoat will be the final step, first you need to get everything dry or your repairs won’t stick.
I suspect there’s damage. The water got inside the sealed hull cavity somehow.
The first thing you might do is to unscrew the drain plug on the deck (dime size screw), starboard side, near the tip of the splash guard. Tip the boat up on that side and drain out the standing water.
If it was my boat, I'd cut a inspection port in the forward area of the cockpit, put positive pressure on that and drill a few small holes in the area of the crack and throw a dark tarp over it and expose the boat to direct sunlight, put some rags underneath and inspect it every few days.
Where do you plan to put the inspection port? Not on the deck I hope. That ruins the look of the deck. I like inspection ports in the front of the cockpit--which also allows installation of a hiking strap, or in the back if you have an older boat.
Here’s my 5/16″ bit that I used to enlarge the hole on the top skin. Again, do not drill all the way through the deck just drill through the top skin. more
If the sealant cures, to form a gasket, and you then move the bolt while tightening it down on the second step…. You will likely lose. If you create a gasket too thick, it cures, and then you can’t get the mechanically fastened hardware tight enough, against the deck, because of compression resistance, the hardware will move, flex and also fail, so again, you lost the battle.
Most all boats have some sort of “core” in the decks. Whether it’s balsa, plywood or some of the foam cores all can eventually absorb water from a leaking deck penetration. A leaking deck, especially with wood cores, can lead to core rot and eventually delamination of the deck and loss of structural rigidity.
While I have chosen to illustrate this using a balsa core you should be aware that most builders do not use a foam or balsa core directly beneath high load deck hardware. More often than not you’ll be dealing with marine grade plywood under deck fittings. Plywood can handle the compression loads far better than either balsa or foam cores and this is why it’s very often laminated into the deck beneath deck hardware. Plywood, if dry, is a hard core to carve out and is yet one more reason why the bent nail trick is not as easy as some would make it seem.
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Good one 99
I was thinking of supporting it from below,but the pumpkin concept will work too more
Edited by onekiwi on Mar 11, 2015 - 10:32 AM. more
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