[Rhodes22-list] Sole soft spot reply to Rex

[Tootle]

Rex,

There are several discussions on this subject in the archives.  Wally Buck
is an expert in the area of your problem.  Rummy has a copy of soft spot
repair article that you might ask him for.  

While most authorities say thoroughly dry interspaces before adding epoxies,
epoxy is supposed to replace moisture, so the area of concern does not need
to be perfectly dry.

Most epoxies are warm weather stuff.  That is the preferred range is in the
60’s and 70’s F.  There are special cold weather epoxies available to temps
of about 35 F.

West System is most widely available and is good stuff.  For this type
repair your first applications should be ‘Slow’ hardening catalyst.  Also,
since you may get some on adjacent areas, I recommend using pigments to
match the area of repair even though it is internal.

There is a product called “Get Rot” by Boatlife Industries.  It is good
stuff, but comes in small quantities and might cost too much for this job.   

There are other epoxies called penetrating epoxies used for this type
repair.  West System does not offer this type product.  Penetrating epoxies
are good for sealing but have less structural strength than regular epoxies,
especially with reinforcing additives.  Therefore, a slow hardening epoxy
that will seep and spread is the best method.

You might look at these Web Sites and study them to decide your attack:

http://www.epoxyworks.com/

http://www.rotdoctor.com/

http://www.masepoxies.com/public/index.cfm?fuseaction=articles.view&id=2254&publicationtype=How-To

http://www.epoxyproducts.com/marine.html

Ed K
Greenville, SC, USA






Charles Henthorn wrote:
> 
> Stan:
>       Thanks for the quick response.  Glad to hear I can administer resin
> to the boat instead of ingesting medicine.  I'll do what you suggest and
> report.  Do you recommend any particular brand or type of epoxy?  Thanks
> again.
>   Rex  
> 
> stan <stan at rhodes22.com> wrote:
>   Rex
> 
> There is a wood backing for the fiberglass and while it was built 
> encapsulated in glass it probably got water into it and an area rotted 
> leaving a soft spot under the cockpit glass floor. One fix is to drill a 
> series of decorative hole patterns The holes size should be large enough 
> to inject some resin (liquid epoxy is probably best) in one hole and see
> it 
> come up another. The filled holes will just look like plugs in the floor.
> 
> If it is adjacent to the table base the water may have come in from that 
> fixture. Remove the base and see if you can just dig out the rotted 
> section so it can be re-filled with a resin and filler. Don't worry if you 
> break the base in the process - we will send you another one. Too bad you 
> live so far away - we could do it here. If you need help, holler.
> 
> stan
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Charles Henthorn" 
> To: 
> Sent: Tuesday, September 04, 2007 1:57 PM
> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Sole soft spot
> 
> 
>> I seem to have developed a 'soft spot' about 6 inches in diameter 
>> about a foot in front of the table mount bracket of the cockpit sole. 
>> There is no apparent damage but when you put weight on it----you can 
>> definitely feel the sole depress. I see no leaks into the bilge after 
>> heavy rains suggesting cracks or openings. Question: Do I have a problem 
>> for which the boat needs attention or a case of 'boathypychondria'?
>> RexH
>> __________________________________________________
>> Use Rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org, Help? www.rhodes22.org/list 
> 
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> 

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