Martin:
I feel your Bruckmann-induced pain.
Matt
1976 C&C 42 Custom
From: Martin DeYoung via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2021 6:30 PM
To: Stus-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com>
Cc: Della Barba, Joe <joe.della.ba...@ssa.gov>; Martin DeYoung
<martin.deyo...@outlook.com>
Subject: Stus-List Re: fun with moisture meter and how/if to fix wet spot
Joe,
Have you sounded the deck with a tapping hammer? If the balsa core has
separated from the laminate it will sound dull.
The balsa core supplier Baltek has much good info on their web site
regarding the effect of wet balsa. IIRC the balsa can be quite wet and
still retain significant strength. Much of Calypso's wet balsa had been
left to its own devices for so long it had created an acetic swampy soup of
rotted balsa and acid attacked polyester. The liquid was so acetic that it
instantly corroded tools used to removed the damaged laminate.
When I was repairing the aprox 20 sq ft of Calypso's cored deck that had
failed I noticed water ran significant distances along channels between the
balsa sections and where Bruckmann's had run 12v wires through balsa
channels within the deck laminate. Also, the "stick built" interior
bulkhead attachment process left channels between the plywood bulkhead and
the deck or hull. Water from various sources traveled through these
channels then wicked up the plywood bulkhead. We repaired/replaced aprox 14
linear feet of plywood bulkhead. In most cases the water only wicked up 12"
to 16".
I also noticed that the damp balsa around the perimeter of the repair area
only dried where exposed. If you want to insure all damp balsa is dried or
removed/replaced you may need to expand the repair area.
We performed most of Calypso's deck repairs from inside. As we kept Calypso
in its marina slip during the work we needed to avoid the appearance of
performing "major" repairs in the water. By staying below deck we reduced
the noise and dust considerably. If we had been hauled out working from
above would have been easier and faster.
Martin DeYoung
Calypso
1971 C&C 43
Seattle/Port Townsend's yard
From: Della Barba, Joe via CnC-List <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2021 10:56 AM
To: Stus-List <mailto:cnc-list@cnc-list.com>
Cc: Della Barba, Joe <mailto:joe.della.ba...@ssa.gov>
Subject: Stus-List fun with moisture meter and how/if to fix wet spot
I got a Klein moisture meter from Amazon and decided to give it a go. Plenty
of areas I thought might have high readings did not. Most of the deck seems
to be in the 1%-6% range. The one area with a high reading is not near any
penetrations, I cannot figure it out. Forward of the mast and aft of the
forward hatch there is an area about 1 or 2 square feet that reads high
enough to peg the meter at 40%! The wet area does not extend to either the
mast or the hatch, it does not seem to come from either one. The deck does
not feel obviously mushy either, it just looks crazed in that spot. The only
real way to feel anything different is in the cabin, the liner seems
detached if you press up on it. This is basically in the passageway forward
around the hanging locker.
Now the question is what next? Do I cut the deck off from above or repair
from below? My feeling is working from above will be 100 times easier until
the very last step of making the deck look not cup apart at the end. I still
have no idea how water could get there except possibly the vents that are
over the head and hanging locker. The original dorades put in before we got
the boat were very poorly done, I had to do a lot of sealing and filling
with epoxy when I put the solar vents in. It would require water to run
uphill and aft though????
Joe
Coquina
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