1997 176 floor delaminating |
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ceruzziracing
Newbie Joined: July-07-2017 Location: Kansas Status: Offline Points: 14 |
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Posted: July-09-2017 at 3:58am |
Hey guys, I've been searching youtube, google and the forum here extensively and haven't seen anything specifically addressing the issue I'm having, although perhaps it is staring at me and I'm missing it. I have a '97 176 that I'm replacing interior and carpet in. When pulling the carpet, I've found a section of the top layer of floor glass about 2'x1' lifting, in the area between the gunwales and motor compartment. . I'm at work, so no pic right now. My question centers around what I'm going to be looking at when removing that top section of glass. If I'm correct, it is my understanding that these boats have no wooden stringers/wood in the build but I haven't found a single post showing a non wooden stringer CC having floor repair. I'm assuming I'll be finding a secondary layer of glass/glass stringers(?) under the top and foam?
To give a back story, I found this lifting several years ago, moved to Kansas where the boat sat outside in uncovered storage for the last 4 years (I know, I should be drawn and quartered, but no room in the garage and HOA doesn't permit anything other than car in driveway). The delaminating does not appear to have extended at all in that time, but I now have room at the house and she's getting the love she deserves. Plus, I'll be able to ski again now that I've got a brand new $80k knee lol. Thanks for any input! |
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41045 |
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Thomas,
I suggest cutting out the section of glass to check the condition the foam below the glass. Hopefully it's dry. Pictures after you cut would be great. Welcome to CCfan. |
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ceruzziracing
Newbie Joined: July-07-2017 Location: Kansas Status: Offline Points: 14 |
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Yup, that's my plan. I was wondering if someone could give me some insight as to what the structure is going to look like under the top layer of glass before I start cutting. I.e. multiple layers of glass, some type of composite stringer, etc. only write ups I have found are for traditional wood stringer older CC's
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Frankenotter
Platinum Member Joined: August-26-2012 Location: Milwaukee Status: Offline Points: 1072 |
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I'm not sure if anyone has tackled the 176 floor on here. I've don't just about everything else to my boat except for what you're talking about.
I got my popcorn. |
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1999 Ski Nautique 196
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Gary S
Grand Poobah Joined: November-30-2006 Location: Illinois Status: Offline Points: 14096 |
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Kevin,(kroundy), cut up a mid? 90's Ski Nautique. I have this picture from him as Pete,(triathlete) and I were trying to figure out how the steering support tube was mounted into the fiberglass of the newer boats since his was loose. Don't know if this helps maybe he has other pic's that would help.
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ceruzziracing
Newbie Joined: July-07-2017 Location: Kansas Status: Offline Points: 14 |
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Gary, I think you may have nailed it with that one pic! A cross section shot pretty much in the same area of concern. Wow, not a whole lot of structural support there either. First guess now is that water penetrated the top glass and ruined the bond between glass and foam. Hopefully water damage isn't past that second layer of glass. I'll add pic of deck today, there's obvious small area where top layer looks like it didn't have full resin saturation, looks porous. Thanks all for the replies, especially Gary as that's the only structural pic of seen of the non wood stringer construction!
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Gary S
Grand Poobah Joined: November-30-2006 Location: Illinois Status: Offline Points: 14096 |
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Glad it helps Tom,but don't thank me -all I did was put up a picture Kevin did all the dirty work
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ceruzziracing
Newbie Joined: July-07-2017 Location: Kansas Status: Offline Points: 14 |
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Well I just did the tap test and, of course, it's more extensive than I thought. Looks like it extends from stern to under the bow on port side, stern to beside drivers seat on starboard. Good thing is all around motor box and seat, battery box sound nice and solid. Never realized I could see the stringers until I just got out in direct sunlight. Nice and solid from motor box to about 6 inches outboard all around. I ran a sharpie line around damage but not sure how well it will show in photos. Soft spots extend outboard to the sides of the boat.
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ceruzziracing
Newbie Joined: July-07-2017 Location: Kansas Status: Offline Points: 14 |
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Have no idea why the uploader is rotating the images. The translucent areas sound the most solid.
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ceruzziracing
Newbie Joined: July-07-2017 Location: Kansas Status: Offline Points: 14 |
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Really can see through to the stringer construction. Translucent is solid
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41045 |
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Tom,
Before you tear up the glass, how about taking a hole saw to the bad area to see what's going on below. Then maybe some extra foam and then glassing over all the existing? |
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Frankenotter
Platinum Member Joined: August-26-2012 Location: Milwaukee Status: Offline Points: 1072 |
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Is that Pete telling someone to do a smaller job? I must be having a stroke.
Bad luck on the floor You buy a composite boat hoping you wont have to mess with this stuff. |
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1999 Ski Nautique 196
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8122pbrainard
Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41045 |
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Chris, Yes, I'm suggesting a repair rather than a replacement but, you are correct that if it had wood stringers, I'd be saying rip it all out!! |
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Dreaming
Platinum Member Joined: May-21-2010 Location: Tacoma, WA Status: Offline Points: 1870 |
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Kevin's 93 also had a delaminated section that he repaired. I'll see if I can find his rebuild thread, but i am pretty sure he documented the process that he used.
kevin's resto thread |
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ceruzziracing
Newbie Joined: July-07-2017 Location: Kansas Status: Offline Points: 14 |
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Pete, I've been going back and forth about doing that or cutting away. Guess it really makes better sense to drill first rather than hack away. The floor is soft along those entire sections from fore to aft, so its probably going to need to come off but definitely easier to work from small to big. I did have water bubble up on port side when I got in for pics this morning, so theres definitely water intrusion and foam damage. Hopefully it's confined to what looks like that thin sandwiched layer in Gary's cutaway pic. She just feels spongy on the deck, but doesn't "feel" like I'm going to fall through the boat lol. I'll try and photo document everything, maybe GoPro to help others in the future. Really couldn't find same year with similar problem. This was a Florida (Orlando) boat all its life till we moved to Kansas 5 years ago. Miss being able to ski every afternoon and the 5 minute drive to the lake. I really appreciate everyone's input. Probably try and drill that hole tomorrow, i'll post up if I do.
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ceruzziracing
Newbie Joined: July-07-2017 Location: Kansas Status: Offline Points: 14 |
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Ok, so I finally got around to drilling those inspection holes. The first one I drilled is on port side, close to even with the leading edge of engine compartment. The foam is saturated to the point where I could see pooling water whenI dug foam out. Pic will show wet foam and some mildew. The hole I cut accidentally included a thin vertical stringer for about 1/3 the diameter of the hole. The foam on this side of the hole was perfect/dry.
I then drilled 3 other holes, one toward the aft port side, and two others in similar locations on starboard side. All were wet, could press and see pooling water, strangely no mildew in any of the other holes. I did make my cuts over sections where it looked like the glass was worn/porous, so that may account for the mildew in #1. All forward foam had a depth of approx 4" before I hit hard surface, wet all the way through. I didn't check depth of aft holes but I did encounter a corrugated vent (?) hose on aft/port side. Thankfully I didn't cut deep enough to damage it. |
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Frankenotter
Platinum Member Joined: August-26-2012 Location: Milwaukee Status: Offline Points: 1072 |
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Yikes. Well the good news is you shouldn't need to re-stringer the boat. Bad news is you might have to remove the floor and wet foam.
What's are you planning to do? |
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1999 Ski Nautique 196
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ceruzziracing
Newbie Joined: July-07-2017 Location: Kansas Status: Offline Points: 14 |
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I'm guessing I'm going to be cutting out the deck and scooping out a lot of wet foam lol. I'm going to probe fore and aft through the holes to see if I hit any type of cross supports first. The good news is that it should only be half the width of the deck on each side. Remove all foam and see what lays beneath. My preliminary plan is to then refoam (looking at Fibrelast 624/625) and then 1708 to cover. I have a few days off starting Monday, would like to remove deck then but it's pushing 100 in Kansas so I'll have to get really motivated lol. Don't have the cash for materials right now but would like to get a better look inside and get her cleaned out and dry.
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