The next balsa core issue was the foredeck. This is the worst of the bow pulpit mounts looking from inside, looking up from the V berth. I could tell that there had been moisture on the through bolts, but I thought that it was from condensation on the inside. That could be part of it, but there was also wet balsa surrounding these fastenings. I bored them out from the inside to check for moisture, allowed the deck to dry out, and provided an epoxy core when refastening.

The deck hatch was removed to find saturated balsa core. It is so wet that the wood has a waxy translucent look, kind of like rotten celery. There was a bead of caulking around the inside and the outside of the hatch. The outside caulking had failed (or the screws) and the inside caulking had kept the secret.

Down the starboard side (which had the worst pulpit leak) the wire to the navigation light had been attached with stainless screws that pierced the balsa deck core. I thought that the rusty look was from condensation. Nope, it was water trying to get out of the balsa that had leaked into the core from the leaking pulpit mount. The interior screw holes were all drilled oversize and I found no rot. I will dry out, fill with epoxy, and then find an appropriate fastener system.

The hole closest to the hull had to be drilled out from above. This shows the mildew/rust that was likely caused by water in the balsa deck, not condensation on the interior.

The next balsa core issue was the foredeck. This is the worst of the bow pulpit mounts looking from inside, looking up from the V berth. I could tell that there had been moisture on the through bolts, but I thought that it was from condensation on the inside. That could be part of it, but there was also wet balsa surrounding these fastenings. I bored them out from the inside to check for moisture, allowed the deck to dry out, and provided an epoxy core when refastening.

Psychrometer in the boat shows high humidity at first with the garage heat at 68. It later fell to 64%. Still, it is going to cost me $75 a month to heat the garage and dry out the boat. (Update: two weeks later it was down to 54% in the garage.) (Another update: my heating bill was up by more than $100).

This is a piece that I coated with penetrating epoxy a week before. Penetrating epoxy soaks in to rotten wood, but barely penetrates good wood. This wood, although water saturated and stained, was good. One problem with applying penetrating epoxy too soon is that it can hold moisture in. The piece (showing the puncture wounds made by my moisture meter) was still at 26% when some of uncoated pieces that I had torn out were already down to 18%, so I have to be very patient and let this dry out.

Here I have flexed the piece to show how the balsa is not solid and that in between the pieces water has passed through, stained, and maybe even mildewed. Fortunately, there was no rot.

M

The next balsa core issue was the foredeck. This is the worst of the bow pulpit mounts looking from inside, looking up from the V berth. I could tell that there had been moisture on the through bolts, but I thought that it was from condensation on the inside. That could be part of it, but there was also wet balsa surrounding these fastenings. I bored them out from the inside to check for moisture, allowed the deck to dry out, and provided an epoxy core when refastening.

Marco Flamingo
Oct 26, 2015

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