Hull to deck joint query

[Dannyboy]

 Howdy Everyone! I just bought an '86 27/2 and am neck-deep in projects, not the least of which is the subject of this topic.
Sadly, the boat was rode hard and put up wet (so to speak) by the previous owner, and due to that, I've been playing "find the leaks" as one of my first endeavors. Its condition also resulted in a near giveaway price-wise, and being on the handy side and having been a sailor all of my life, couldn't resist the allure of the Com Pac.

She's out of the water now, and because the interior is shot from overhead leaks, I've removed all carpeting and all interior panels... the better to de-mold and to see the root causes. Good thing is, I didn't get sick from inhaling all the mold that powdered off the carpeting, which by the photos I've seen, used to be off white, right? During a recent storm, my dad and I got a full show of all said leaks from the deck joint on up, noted them and breathed a sigh of determination.

So, that being said, the deck and hull joint needs some love and I'm looking for guidance. Anyone have a step by step guide? I've read the post by Wes about the hull to deck screw matrix thingamajig which was cool, but what happens next? How best to clean it up? What should I not remove? What adhesive/sealants would you recommend? And what would you think of covering it up, before stretching the rail back on, with some sort of West System or similar epoxy stuff?

And in closing, my thanks to all of you who are so devoted to this forum and the 27/2. Your enthusiasm for and trust in this vessel went a long way in giving me the confidence that the bones of the boat were worth it. And darn straight they are. She's a mess, but I love her.

[skip1930]

Everybody has their own favorite adhesive [meaning it's not suppose to be taken apart] sealing compound between the two fiberglass surfaces.
Then there is a double sided sticky tape used on the inside of the rubber rub rail to stick the rubber rub rail on over the joint which is also riveted together.
Just remember it's bad practice to try to make a waterproof joint by sealing form the inside [non-pressure side].
I like 3M-5200 SLOW SET for an adhesive sealant.

skip.

[deisher6]

DannyBoy:
Hey I too just bought (Sunday) a '86 C-27 hull #16.  I bought it for about the same reasons as you!!!  It has been on the hard for at least the past 4 years.  I had some questions about the hull to deck joint:  Keith Scott of the SailBoat Company < http://www.ipass.net/sailboat/> gave me some pretty good insight and how to repair the hull to deck joint by using 5200 and replacing the rivets with ss bolts.  It is well worth giving him a call.

I hope to have the mast back up by Monday.  One of the spreaders was badly bent in a yard accident,  I now know about spreader construction and repair.

Keep posting.

regards charlie

[Dannyboy]

Skip...many thanks for the diagram. Very handy. The batten is long gone, but the holes that used to be the batten screws are not. We'll definitely be working the re-seal from the outside.

Charlie... It's a tale of two boats! Incidentally, I have hull #17 and I bought her last Saturday. Thanks for the link to Keith's site... I'll get in touch with him if I run into problems.
I'll certainly post photos as we move forward so folks can see the carnage.

On another note, what's been done in the past to take off the hull tape and residual adhesive without damaging the gel coat? And what was the reason for the hull tape in the first place?

[deisher6]

DannyBoy:
Got the mast up today, it looks much better with new running rigging.

You might want to consider installing an inspection port in the water tank.

The stripe was for looks.  I recall some folks using a heat gun to get it off.  I am just going to compound it wax and buff out.

Hope to have the engine running, oil filters etc. next week.

Keep faith.

regards charlie

[Dannyboy]

Would you tell me a little more about the water tank inspection port? I am interested to know what's in there. Interested and frightened.

[wes]

I second that motion. Filled with curiosity about removing all those screws, but dreading what I might find inside after 25 years. Is it a plastic tank? Formed fiberglass tank? Has anybody replaced the white cover with something more sanitary, cleanable, visible?

Not my highest priority with a hull to sand and paint and all that hardware to re-bed, but I know it's coming...

Wes

[deisher6]

Hey fellow C27 cleaneruppers:
I bought a standard round 8 inch screw in deck plate with a gasket for about $15. Scribed a circle using the plate as a template, drilled 4 starter holes, and cut out the plug with a sabre saw.  Installed the plate with ss screws and 3M 4200 quick set, since I am not going to take it out.  About a 10 minute job.

This tank was surprisingly clean and fresh smelling.  The plywood on the top has started to delaminate some but shouldn't be a problem.  I like to be able to wipe down the tank with Clorox from time to time.  Also like to get that last bit of water out and air it out.

I have done this on two C27 one other boat and two campers.  The campers had an amazing amount of crud in them.

The other three 27's that I recently looked at all had an opening in the water tank much like the one I installed.

I will take some pictures if I can ever remember the camera.

Any scoop on headliners??

regards charlie

[Dannyboy]

Charlie, photos of the inspection port would be great!
Regarding headliners, I'm currently looking into some options and depending on quality, may go for PVC beadboard paneling. Lowes apparently carries it. They also carry glossy panels in 3/16" x 4'x 8' I may use up in the forward cabin (with wood strips reinstalled) and in the salon. I considered starboard, but holy cow, that stuff is pricey. Aforementioned PVC panels are around $19. I'm not going back to carpet, that's for sure.
Dan