1997 SN Soft Floor

So I dug deeper this morning and there was more water down by the hull, i sucked it all out and then dug out the foam to the stringers on the sides and forward and back till I hit a cross member. There water seemed to be contained to that compartment as I dug next the the cross member and there was no water.





So I am thinking I will let this dry out and then pour the foam and patch up, you think I am doing this right guys? Sure do not want to have to go back down there to fix anything.

Steve

Tim,

No more water seems ed seep from the foam, I have dug forward and aft of the hole as far as I can, seem to have hit some cross members. I noticed a little moisture the next morning, I just vac it up and then hit the area with heat gun for about ten minutes, I am going to keep the area open to air out for at least 5 days. Then I am going to pour the foam and patch, hope this is all good as I want to get the new carpet in.

Guys,

Well I have finally had to look further under the floor as there was still some water there seeping through the foam. I have cut holes along the main stringer between it and the secondary. F}Refer to this picture of the two holes.



The next images show down under the floor at the ends where i have dug out the foam right o=up to the `crossmembers` (sorry not sure what else to call them, they seem to rum between the main and secoudary. Anyway down under there where the water has been sitting it has penetrated the glass, I have delamination on part of one cross member, the glass has has soften in areas under there. I am not sure what to do now. I hope masters with the knowledge here would like to chime in. Here are the other pics.













I hope the pics explain a little of what i am going through, not very good at the moment, I am going to seek some help, I think the repairs are now going to be major right?

Steve I cant see the delamination clearly in those pictures I can see what appears to be a air bubble in the original layup around what you are calling "cross members". Just grind that out and any other soft parts around it. Then re apply some more resin and matt.

You have probably dug in deeper than you wanted to already with our season approaching fast. I guess you could remove the complete floor and foam but I would be closing up (Do a tool count first ) and sending the patient to recover in a warm enviroment. Bring on summer

I 2nd on Chris suggestion. Remove the delam removing minimal material in a circular pattern by taper sanding as best as you can. Tap test the area with a heavy coin or end of a folded up pocket knife to be sure you've got it all. A dull thud means you still have delam in there. layer up the repair with the smallest ply first then get bigger as you go over lapping the prior one. Doing this ensures multiple layers adhering to the hull instead of just one.

Lewy looks to me like it's the "egg" or "pimple" in the picture is his delamination.

OK So i have taken a couple more pics for you to show the delamination, what I have taken today is the other side of the cross member, in the smaller hole in the first picture i posted of the floor. This are is delaminated alot worse than in the other hole towards the stern. This area has a small hole i suppose under the cross member that i have shown by sticking my finger into.

Hope these make it clearer:







Thankyou again for all the help and comments on here you guys are great, well I hope i only still have to grind off the bad material and re lay I should use epoxy mat and resin to do this? Thanks again

Steve

Maybe it is just me, but is that really delamination? Or, is that an area you cut out? I am just wondering where the material went. I see fibers lying there, but that's the way things look from a cut-gun I think. Is the area "soft" or does it just look bad. What does the tap-test tell you is going on?

You are making me weak in the knees. I sure hope that I don't have to do this to my 1993 Ski.

storm34, any idea what should a naked 1993 Ski Nautique hull should weigh? My carpet is out now, so if I'm going to do this now is the time. I'd rather not tear out the floor, but these photos have me rethinking my strategy. I got a 1993 because I didn't want to do a huge fiberglass job.

Well crud. I'm glad that you are paving the way for me.
Rough 1993 Ski soft floor

I have some new questions:

1. How do you know the rest of your foam isn't wet where you have not cut out the floor?

2. What are you using to cut out the floor? I did my small cut with a razor blade, but that's not a process that will work for much more than a small area.

3. I notice that you are not cutting out the floor on top of the stringers. I agree with this concept since the floor is attached to the top of the stringer. How are you going to lay down fiberglass in those holes you have cut and "reattach"?

4. Those of your suggesting "sanding in", what type of sanding are you talking about? Is this sandpaper? A tool of some sort?

That's enough questions for now. I'm going to go get a beer and wait for replies.

I have done some small cuts on the starboard side and there seems to be no moisture, but I would have to dig to the hull again to be sure, do not think i will be doing that before summer. I used a diamond tipped continious rim cutting blade for my grinder. I have to `taper the edges of the holes alot more yet then i will use strand and epoxy resin. Based on what i know and information here i just `step up each layer up the taper` applying approx 7 layers of strand with resin. I hope that is right. The sanding comment i am not too sure about, i think i would need to grind those areas just not sure if i will be able to get my grinder into there, a dremel would probably be better.

Really Kevin?, you think you can source new screws in black for me? You would be a lifesaver!! What about the rubber seal that was under the windshield any thoughts on where to get that, I have sourced most parts from Taylormade in Australia or US but the screws and that seal are nowwhere to be found. I read on here a thread about using powdercoat or not on windshields, well i have just done mine at my factory down our paintline. My operator told me that it needed to be epoxy primed first before the powdercoat, she did that and they all look great. I had them sandblasted first. I also did the vents under the windshield and the tower, all look amazing.

I will post pics if anyone is interested in seeing the powdercoat, They are not on the boat yet.

Here's another question. WHAT are those cross-member pieces? Those vertical walls all are structural pieces. I'm just surprised to see that they go fore-aft as well as side-to-side.

Does anybody have something akin to a structural diagram for a Ski Nautique in the composite era?

I hope to go shopping for black screws tomorrow, but I need to know: Where did these screws come from? The smaller ones are for the windshield frame, right? Are the larger ones the screws that go into the hull?

And - sorry, but I do not have source for new rubber seals.

Email me directly at kevin dot roundhill at gmail dot com.

Kevin

Hollywood wrote: Those screws look pretty basic, you can't find them on McMasterCarr's website?

black oxide 18-8 stainless screws at McMaster

Go to "pan head phillips" and scroll down the page.

KRoundy wrote: How do you know what screw size that we have?

hours and hours in front the screen reading CCF!

isolated case?

I would think added weight is the only problem in a composite hull? or is there other concern? like water will rot something? will the glass loose strenght?
If you are a skier might concern the weigth thing as being heavier might affect the wake size! but as a wakeboarder It would be a plus!!!
only donwside is the increased fuel consumption...