Advice/Guidance Passport 47CC forward shower

[SV Someday Came]

Hello
I could use guidance, please.

Context: After purchasing my boat, two wet areas became apparent. The walled area underneath each of the two (forward and aft) shower faucets was "wet." If you touched under the chrome assembly of the faucets, your finger would be wet (and yes, the shower is dried after use – wetness is 24/7 despite cranking down the faucets). Soon after purchase, the water pressure pump would randomly activate and "recharge" itself. However, the recharge times became shorter after a month or two, suggesting a slow leak.

I assumed the leak was from one of the two faucets in either shower. I decided to tackle the forward shower first since there looked to be blackened water damage in the port aft corner of the shower. I took out the teak grill and teak frame. That effort took 6 hours as the caulk had to be heavy-duty adhesive, possibly 5200. Once the teak grill and teak and teak frame were removed, I could see the shower basin was screwed into something – I assume fiberglass. No efforts over the past couple of hours can pry the shower basin loose. The adhesive is too strong despite chisels, sharp blades, and use of a small crowbar with a teak fulcrum – no amount of pressure I can physically exert with leverage moves the stall. Even levering while using a thin sharp blade to slip in and cut the adhesive causes any movement.

Once some of the caulk was removed, there was "bottom-up" weeping on the starboard side (where the edged tool is in the photo), as well as significant water (smelly) from the port aft corner. Much of the wood in that corner is weak and rotten. I removed what I could, and now the wood divider in that area is thin but good. Finally, I note that the wood that held the faucet is good – there is no wetness at all where the faucet was mounted in the wall.

Questions:
1. Am I making too much of a small thing? My experience with home ownership taught me that letting the bathroom go can lead to a costly renovation later – hence, I tackled this project.

2. Should I cut out the shower stall to see how bad the damage is?

3. Or should I stop and epoxy around the leading edge of the shower stall, effectively sealing in the 5200 and the shower stall on top of whatever infrastructure is in place? The water damage is not from a hose leak or a faucet leak but likely from decades of intermittent shower usage (The boat was built in 1984 I think).

4. Or, is there an alternative approach I am not considering? The boat is in beautiful shape – I do not want to do a crappy job that would call attention to my poor stewardship of this beauty.

I have attached photographs. I am in San Diego, and if someone knows someone who does this work locally, I am willing to pay for a consult. I have owned a few homes before; however, nothing in home repair prepared me for this adhesive or caulk or whatever this stuff is that is nothing short of a cunningly flexible yet unyielding material from the depths of hell.

Thank you
Michael

[Singularity]

Originally Posted by SV Someday Came

...I am willing to pay for a consult. I have owned a few homes before; however, nothing in home repair prepared me for this adhesive or caulk or whatever this stuff is that is nothing short of a cunningly flexible yet unyielding material from the depths of hell.

I suspect that if you simply encase what you cannot inspect that the thought of it would bother you over time, even if the approach is reasonable.
I'd suggest contacting Bob Perry directly with your question as no other opinion would be better informed for both inspection and repair instructions. Check his webpage for details.

[SV Someday Came]

Well now. Good idea, thank you. He did aid and guide me towards this purchase, but for some reason, it did not occur to ask him about a repair (as opposed to what to buy!).
Thanks again
Michael

[Rumrace]

Sweet boat. You may do way more damage removing the floor. It’s sitting on a puddle of epoxy I believe.
As to the other wall area touchy. Dry rot might have got the bottom of the wall. I’d consider vacuum bag the area fill the wall with MinWax wood penetrator or equal. A wood guy will remove the whole wall and that frame around the door is master work. That boat was built with a lot of love and highly skilled workers. They are the hardest boats to restore. The areas where you can seal up without tearing out won’t make noise all night either.