another delaminated sole question

[texasnomad]

First post here...here goes...

I have 81 CP16 which I'm refinishing.  When I got it, it had water between the fiberglass sole and the cement ballast.  I remove the fiberglass and let everything dry.  The berths appear to be in ok shape and I don't want I don't want to rip them out if I don't have to.

How should I go about sealing the concrete with the berths intact?  Any ideas?  Or do I really need to rip them out to see what's going on in there?

There was also water in the compression post access but it is dry now and nothing indicates any rot anywhere.  I will later drill into the keel from below to see if there is any water down there.

Thanks! I am happy to be a CP owner now.

[Paul]

Hi Texasnomad and welcome to the forum. 

I have just a little experience with your issue.  But before I write an essay, have you searched the forum regarding your topic?  There has been much discussed over the months and years regarding water in the boat.

Short answer:  hold off on the drill for now.  That's for extreme cases and with knowledge of epoxy use.  Let that warm Texas air do it's thing.

[texasnomad]

Thanks for the welcome and quick response!

I have read as many of the posts on the subject as possible, but I guess my concern is that since I have ripped up the sole, I am afraid water may find its way into the keel.   Other owners have put a layer of epoxy over the cement, but I feel like that if I don't remove the berths I won't be able to completely seal off the concrete.

I found two blisters on the keel and the gelcoat on the underside of the hull  has many very shallow bubbles in it, each about the size of my pinky fingernail.   The bubbles are dry inside, but I'm scared there's water down in the keel between the ballast and the hull.  When I wrap on the outside with hard object, it "sounds dry", but I don't know how reliable that is.

I wish I could let the warm texas air do its thing, but instead I'll have to let the warm florida air do its thing!  I recently relocated from Houston to Jacksonville....I miss texas.

[Paul]

My experience with s/v Little Wing is that "dry sounding" of rapping on the hull means it is likely truly dry.  She had the same problems you describe and I went for it full bore as the photos in the gallery show.  The hole drilled in the bottom of the keel was bone dry.  So, the probability is pretty good in your case that she's dry, too.

I simply poked around with a screwdriver to see how much wood was rotten and found that the berths and the runners that support the berths were OK.  It was the bulkhead that was so bad.  Now that's all fixed.

There are at least two solutions for the new cabin sole.  One, you could pour a sealant on top of the concrete, as some have done with success.  Two, you could replace the fiberglass.  Of course, there is always a third option and leave it bare. 

[texasnomad]

Thanks Paul.

I'll avoid the drilling and not worry about sealing the concrete right now.  For now I'm just going to concentrate on getting the bottom fixed.  Thanks again!

[B.Hart]

   Hi TEX, seems replacing the glass over the concrete on old 16's is a right of passage.  Most owners fair the concrete with a portland or hydraulic type cement then reglass when cured. WELCOME TO FLORIDA    BILL