1979 246 CCP

[jdupree]

Ok, I need to tackle the fuel lines.  It appears on the CCP's that the fuel and vent hoses run down the gunnel and connect to aluminum fittings.  I don't want to cut out the deck to find where they connect.  I was thinking about cutting a hatch out of the gunnel down near the deck.  Thoughts?

Here are where the hoses connect and go to the coffin.  The big question is where does the other end stop??


Here is where I was thinking on cutting out.  Hopefully you can see the outline.

[Capt. Bob]

Haven't seen the fittings before (not on my 84). I found the fill and vent hoses encased in the foam pour under the deck.

Good luck.

[jdupree]

Ok, guys I need some input. As you can see in my picture, the area of the deck in red is pretty bad off. You won't fall through it by any means but feels like a trampoline. I hate to cut it out since the rest of the deck is rock solid and dry. I planned to do the epoxy injection, but as you can see I can access the whole area from underneath. Any ideas or suggestions for supporting it underneath? Maybe glass in some 1/2" plywood underneath and butt it up to the stringers? I can get a picture from underneath if needed.

[Capt. Bob]

JD,
Well I'm not the glass guy for sure but.....

I have been in that same position with my 222. We know that the trampoline is a two part problem made up of the weakening core material and the bridging of that canyon between the stringers so.....

If it were me, I would definitely try and add additional support between the stringers or...

Cut in a hatch and create additional storage forward if you don't reinstall the coffin box.

Good luck.

[RickK]

Hi JD, Man that is a big dance floor 

Is the balsa rotten under that area?  If you can drag a crowbar across the balsa and it crumbles or the glass is flaky under the balsa I think I would try to remove it, cutting back to a solid portion with a skill saw set to an 1/8" and then a little deeper as you remove the rotten area.  Then if it was me I would grind the underside to clean it up and lay in a layer of glass (use epoxy).  Measure resin coat and glass a piece of core of your choice.  Measure and resin coat / glass some cross members - 3 should do for sure and then glass them to the stringers and the underside.  She ain't going anywhere now, for rest of your life anyway.
Like CB recommended, if you need more storage, now is the time to plan and execute.

[jdupree]

Hi JD, Man that is a big dance floor 

Is the balsa rotten under that area?  If you can drag a crowbar across the balsa and it crumbles or the glass is flaky under the balsa I think I would try to remove it, cutting back to a solid portion with a skill saw set to an 1/8" and then a little deeper as you remove the rotten area.  Then if it was me I would grind the underside to clean it up and lay in a layer of glass (use epoxy).  Measure resin coat and glass a piece of core of your choice.  Measure and resin coat / glass some cross members - 3 should do for sure and then glass them to the stringers and the underside.  She ain't going anywhere now, for rest of your life anyway.
Like CB recommended, if you need more storage, now is the time to plan and execute.

Excuse my ignorance, but does balsa mean the core?  The bottom layer of glass appears to be fine.  Basically the core is wet and I have dug out as much as I can through the round inspection hole.  There just appears to be a big void between the layers of glass where the wood was.

I plan to install the coffin box out of my 222 in the 246.  I doubt that I will add any storage underneath.  I still plan to do the epoxy deck injection anyway since I will be painting the deck and will never see the holes.

[RickK]

Oh, sorry John, the coring is end grain balsa. 
I think I would crawl under there and cut out the rotten core (just  until you find  good core) and recore it from the bottom.  Not sure how much is springy from rotten core.
Find a small saw like this http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=skill+saw
or this https://www.rockwelltools.com/en-US/Compact-Circular-Saw.aspx
Something small that you can use while under there. 

Once you get the bad core out, scruff up the underside of the fiberglass. I think if you beef the underside glass up with some 3/4 oz mat, a little at a time it'll stay up there until it kicks (for speed you could use poly).  I would then soak the new core in resin (you could cut kerfs into the core or maybe drill holes to get the resin into the core), maybe a couple coats with a sanding in between especially on the side that is going to be pressed up against the glass skin. Then glue the new core to the bottom of the new skin (you can trowel thickened resin onto the new skin and press the new core into the glue) and then wedge it into the glue with upright boards and when it kicks you're done.  I don't think I would try to glass it in. The decking on my 170 looked brand new when I pulled it up to do the rebuild (the portion that was bad didn't) and it had just been resin coated.
And don't forget the cross members.
You'll be happier with the end result if you replace the core - sounds like a lot of work but it'll go fast.

[jdupree]

Thanks for all the good information Rick  

I am going to replace the core, but it was suggested to me to cut out the top skin and remove the core that way.  That will be much easier on my body!!  I plan to paint the deck anyway, so once I lay the top skin back down all I would have to glass is where the cut line was.  I guess basically just like re-coring a hatch over the fuel tank, but coming in from the top instead.

[RickK]

That'll work and be easier on you.  I figured it would save your original glass this way.

[jdupree]

Ok, cut the top skin off of the deck area in question. As I expected, saturated with water and half of the core gone. Anyway I kept cutting until I got to a dry section in all directions which I did. Much better than I expected. The area I have cut is what I need to address. Rest of the deck is rock hard with no flexing. I still need to remove the rotten wood from the bottom skin.

As you can see from the wood attached to the top skin, Aquasport used scrap pieces for the deck :rolleyes: We have all seen this :rolleyes: