Interesting quick fix on soft spot on deck

[downwinder]

Greetings. I know how the operation goes. You cut inside, operate old rotten balsa, resin, then patch up and paint. That way you avoid breaking the outer deck. Someone today in the marina told me to drill through first core inside out without penetrating. Every 4 inches a hole till you cover all the soft spot. Then squeeze the fridge foam that west marine sells till it comes out through the other holes. Do this till all are full. It hardens like cement and its waterproof. I have never heard this. Any comments are appreciated. Cheers for the info.


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[onestepcsy37]

The balsa may be rotten, but it still occupies the space between the laminates. So where does the fridge foam go?

[Greenhand]

Originally Posted by onestepcsy37

The balsa may be rotten, but it still occupies the space between the laminates. So where does the fridge foam go?

And what is this foam that hardens to concrete and is watertight without protecting the outer skin?

[Pete7]

Doesn't stop how the water got in there in the first place and is going to make a mess when you do come to sort it out properly.

[colemj]

Sigh. We need a dedicated forum for "I figured out a better way to fix soft decks than to do it the correct way". This seems to be a very popular subject on CF.

Can a mod set one up so I can put it on ignore?

Mark

[biker6977]

Originally Posted by colemj

Sigh. We need a dedicated forum for "I figured out a better way to fix soft decks than to do it the correct way". This seems to be a very popular subject on CF.

Can a mod set one up so I can put it on ignore?

Mark

Hi OP- I've heard of that but I don't see how the foam will spead as the core is honey combed, I may be missing something though. Let us know how it turns out and how you end up doing it.

Coemj- you could have easily ignored this thread and made no comment. Once you read the OP you can have just clicked off of it. I'm sorry if us newbies do not know all- I thought that's what the forum is for. At least that's how I use it to gleam knowledge from those that know- you obviously being one of them. We've not all read all the books or done all the work. I'm always looking for better ways to do something and without asking and finding out the reason something won't work from someone that has tried it I just don't know if it will work.
So instead of getting snippy and tired of us understand we want your comments- constructive- and why it won't work, who's tried and what the results are. We are here to learn from those that know.

[colemj]

Originally Posted by biker6977

Coemj- you could have easily ignored this thread and made no comment. Once you read the OP you can have just clicked off of it. I'm sorry if us newbies do not know all- I thought that's what the forum is for. At least that's how I use it to gleam knowledge from those that know- you obviously being one of them. We've not all read all the books or done all the work. I'm always looking for better ways to do something and without asking and finding out the reason something won't work from someone that has tried it I just don't know if it will work.
So instead of getting snippy and tired of us understand we want your comments- constructive- and why it won't work, who's tried and what the results are. We are here to learn from those that know.

Yeah, you are correct. I apologize. But there was method in my madness. If you search for these threads, you will find a lot of "newbies" with these ideas who take an incredible amount of convincing by people who do this type of work professionally. They argue and stick with these poor techniques against all reason - many actually go through with their ideas, only to discover the mistake the hard way. And in these threads, there are always many other people supporting these bad ideas that have never really done this work before.

So my hope was that to phrase it as I did, the OP would drop the idea more quickly.

The past forums are full of step by step instructions from professional repair guys (I am not one of these, although I have recored many a deck). A search will turn them up.

Anyway, I'm out of here!

Mark

[downwinder]

Greetings. Just finished changing my damper plate in my perkins 4108 and got back to my cuba libre and phone. I know the process to fixing soft spots. Have been a surfer and sailor since 9 years old. Have fixed many soft spots and surfboards. I understand resin and balsa wood pretty good. Im not trying to convince anyone on a quick fix foam style. Just heard about it today and was curious. The person who told me is an elder who knows his ABC on boats. Im sure there are other elders out there that know alot more on many more topics. One of the greatest freedoms we humans have is asking questions. I have travelled quite a few and have seen some mechanics improvise with stuff you would never imagine in the most remote places in the Indonesian archipelago. I always think its brilliant to find or experiment with new techniques. My past generations are destroying mother nature with disregard so im sure new ideas dont hurt. Thanks for all the input on the topic and sorry to digress from the original post.

Balsa is rot so im guessing its powder rot wood. Foam will push out whatever it can and fill up all space with its expansion characteristic. Its light and strong. It will fill up whatever hole in the railing/gunwhale that is letting water permiate inside the core.

Thats the explanation i got. I thought it made some sense.


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[foothillsailor]

As I understand it, the real problem isn't just the rotted balsa but more seriously that the water in between the inner and outer/deck skins will still be there and because of the pumping action caused by the deck flexing will continue to cause further disintegration of other balsa. It seems to me that the suggested 'quick fix' would only displace the water to cause more new damage somewhere else

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by foothillsailor

As I understand it, the real problem isn't just the rotted balsa but more seriously that the water in between the inner and outer/deck skins will still be there and because of the pumping action caused by the deck flexing will continue to cause further disintegration of other balsa. It seems to me that the suggested 'quick fix' would only displace the water to cause more new damage somewhere else

I'm not much for quick fixes either. Possibly fixing the leak, drilling the holes and letting it dry prior to foam would. I am skeptical about dries like cement I would prefer expands to a float. Probably just semantics.

[NevisDog]

I'd like to hear from someone who has actually done it, instead of folks who just say it can't be done.

[svPearlLee]

Obviously ANY type of repair would have to be preceded by fixing the leaks.

[Greenhand]

Originally Posted by NevisDog

I'd like to hear from someone who has actually done it, instead of folks who just say it can't be done.

Given the reasons put forth for not doing it, I can't help but wonder if it wasn't a theoretical quick fix which hasn't actually been tried.

[bankerboy1]

Good to be open minded. The way of doing/fixing things is ever evolving. An example would be the New Boeing 787. The old timer will tell you the new way of building it would NEVER work; relying on old technology....rivets! The New 787 is mostly glued together!

Just food for thought!

[Cadence]

I guess the rhetoric about end grain balsa was a farce? Wood rots in varying degrees. I would have preferred the foam of the time that turned to powder after a period of time. Trying the being a wise ass, nothing lasts forever.


I would love to hear of a success doing this.