Upper Deck Re-Epoxy and....

[Papidoos56]

Ok, so as some of you know, I am restoring a majorly neglected 32-2. There is extensive moisture and rotted balsa below the surface. I have actually opened up the entire foredeck and am starting on the port and starboard sides. The prior owner should be hog tied, tar and feathered, then shot for allowing it to get so bad. If any of you just treat the "problem" with a little caulk... the same goes for you! A deep cut requires stiches, not a band-aid.! !00 hours of work...at least... for what could have been corrected at the time with two or three hours of work. WHAT AN *SSHOLE!

Anyway.. my concern is that the balsa seems to be varying in thickness from about 1/2" to about 1/4". On the port side it was 1/2". All of it. Then once I started to go to the starboard side it appeared to get thinner. I was scraping at most a 1/4' from the layer between the deck and the the fiberglass top coat I removed. Has anyone else seen this major inconsistancy in the deck work????? Terrible,

 

[Papidoos56]

I apologize for my "language" but honestly....take care of your boats. Please!

 

[Loren Beach]

Foul (fowl?) language seems to be a part of boat work... !
This is the first time I have seen a reference to inconsistent thickness of balsa coring. By the 80's, if not earlier, it always seems to be 1//2".

 

[Drewm3i]

My experience with 80s Ericson is that the deck bedding was done very well. Sorry for your troubles with the earlier model. I honestly would consider some type of injectable foam to repair decks. I did it to a power boat engine hatch and it turned out pretty good. Re-coring is a PITA

 

[kapnkd]

Ok, so as some of you know, I am restoring a majorly neglected 32-2. There is extensive moisture and rotted balsa below the surface. I have actually opened up the entire foredeck and am starting on the port and starboard sides. The prior owner should be hog tied, tar and feathered, then shot for allowing it to get so bad. If any of you just treat the "problem" with a little caulk... the same goes for you! A deep cut requires stiches, not a band-aid.! !00 hours of work...at least... for what could have been corrected at the time with two or three hours of work. WHAT AN *SSHOLE!

Anyway.. my concern is that the balsa seems to be varying in thickness from about 1/2" to about 1/4". On the port side it was 1/2". All of it. Then once I started to go to the starboard side it appeared to get thinner. I was scraping at most a 1/4' from the layer between the deck and the the fiberglass top coat I removed. Has anyone else seen this major inconsistancy in the deck work????? Terrible,

What year is your 32-2? ...Ours is a ‘73 but the foredeck has never had any coring issues other than at the very bow around the cleats. We got up underneath into the anchor locker and managed our repairs plus added a large aluminum plate to better secure the cleats as well as to attach an anchor bow roller now leading to a windlass. (We never noticed any variation in balsa coring thickness either.)


...The main areas we had any real balsa core problems with was the cabin top areas around the old Teak main salon hatch and our direct wood to deck companionway slides. (It was a constant battle to keep wood joiner work and wood to decks sealed!)
(We eventually gave up and sadly did away with the ever leaking Teak wood hatch by building up a glassed in area to then install an aluminum hatch.)


The worst area of concern we had was the companion way: ...My son actually removed a section of upper decking between the companionway rails and totally replaced the balsa coring and then reglass the top back in place. We then made a hatch lid to cover the cosmetic sins of the cabin top repair and further reduce collecting waters in said area.


Deck fittings and hand rails of course were also removed, drilled out oversized to then be filled with a thick epoxy. They were then re-drilled to correct sizes. This hopefully eliminates future water intrusion into any of the coring.

It’s definitely a lot of work but well worth the efforts as the 32 is a great boat as a cruiser or even a racer. (Owned mine since new in ‘73)

GOOD LUCK and don’t get discouraged!!!

 

[gadangit]

We took our foredeck are off in one piece, so I can't speak to your thickness problem. But I do appreciate what you are up against. After we carefully removed the top clamshell, the rotten mess was ground out and recored. Then the clamshell was epoxied back down, saving a ton of glass and fairing work. The lip next to the toe rail was cleaned out and balsa pieces with thickened epoxy were shoved in first.

 

[gadangit]

You know your core is wet when you can lift large panels of the top fiberglass layer. We just kept going until we got to the areas that we fixed from below. The "good" thing about it is it makes the project go very fast. You can see the wide ground out seams that are glassed over and some lightweight filler (red) for fairing. Frustrating to start, very satisfying to finish. You will be very happy when done.
Chris

 

[Papidoos56]

Thank you to everyone for the pix. I will post next time I go up to work on her. Of note is that I determined the inconsistency in thickness must be due to years of treading on a soggy top. The edges are all 1/2". I just ordered more balsa as I am doing virtually the whole deck. I have removed most of the hardware that is not through deck, and have now removed 1/2 of the deck and covered her up to let her dry out a couple days.

BTW...rotozip worked terrible...squirly, burned through two dozen bits...then I grabbed my Ryobi multi tool. Brilliant. Straight cuts. Used one blade for 1/4 of the deck. Also does a great job cutting out the pieces of rotted balsa that are still attached. Absolutely THE TOOL to use. I will video this for all to see.

The main thing I take away from this is make sure your stauncions and deck hardware are seated and sealed properly. Check them annually and don't just squirt some marine caulk on them if you notice an issue...take care of it. The prior owner basically ruined this boat. I will set her right but it will take 100 hours.

 

[kapnkd]

We took our foredeck are off in one piece, so I can't speak to your thickness problem. But I do appreciate what you are up against. After we carefully removed the top clamshell, the rotten mess was ground out and recored. Then the clamshell was epoxied back down, saving a ton of glass and fairing work. The lip next to the toe rail was cleaned out and balsa pieces with thickened epoxy were shoved in first. View attachment 37875View attachment 37876View attachment 37877

Impressive work with clean straight cut seams!!! ...Hard to believe all that balsa core rot you encountered across the complete foredeck area!!! WOW!!!

How did your cabin top area do around the main salon hatch and companionway rails?? THOSE were our main problem areas.

 

[gadangit]

How did your cabin top area do around the main salon hatch and companionway rails?? THOSE were our main problem areas.

Overall I think we replaced about 75% of the coring in the deck. All the work in the saloon area we did from below as it was patchy and allowed us to not mess with the deck at all. The fabric liner was shot, so taking that completely out made for easy access. We don't have a raised cabin top with the flush deck, so just a bunch of relatively easy flat areas to fix. Went way faster than you would expect.
Chris

 

[tenders]

I’ve done several core repairs on my ‘69 and use 1/2” foam in lieu of balsa, and, with flat decks, a plate of 3/16” G10, chamfered on the edges, and epoxied to the surrounding deck with layers of fiberglass tape. This saves a lot of time layering glass cloth over large areas, and results in a profoundly solid repair.

1969 E32 cockpit core repair: an illustrated guide

E32 cockpit core repair: an illustrated guide The cockpit deck of my fine 32, built in 1969, owned and sailed by me since 1991 on three US coasts (west, north, and east), had become progressively spongier and spongier; I think the area around the fuel fill had leaked water long ago. My boat...

ericsonyachts.org

If you’re really looking for fun, redo the deck below the mast step! The deck camber and mast pressure here required plywood core.

Seeking advice on E32 mast step repair

E32 mast step deck repair: an illustrated guide My 1969 Ericson 32, which I've owned since 1991, has a deck-stepped mast. Under the mast, just a bit to port of the centerline, is a mahogany compression post, and about 18” to the right of this is another mahogany post of somewhat less...

ericsonyachts.org

 

[Papidoos56]

I’ve done several core repairs on my ‘69 and use 1/2” foam in lieu of balsa, and, with flat decks, a plate of 3/16” G10, chamfered on the edges, and epoxied to the surrounding deck with layers of fiberglass tape. This saves a lot of time layering glass cloth over large areas, and results in a profoundly solid repair.

1969 E32 cockpit core repair: an illustrated guide

E32 cockpit core repair: an illustrated guide The cockpit deck of my fine 32, built in 1969, owned and sailed by me since 1991 on three US coasts (west, north, and east), had become progressively spongier and spongier; I think the area around the fuel fill had leaked water long ago. My boat...

ericsonyachts.org

If you’re really looking for fun, redo the deck below the mast step! The deck camber and mast pressure here required plywood core.

Seeking advice on E32 mast step repair

E32 mast step deck repair: an illustrated guide My 1969 Ericson 32, which I've owned since 1991, has a deck-stepped mast. Under the mast, just a bit to port of the centerline, is a mahogany compression post, and about 18” to the right of this is another mahogany post of somewhat less...

ericsonyachts.org

That is my next attack after I can walk on the deck again of course.

 

[Papidoos56]

Impressive work with clean straight cut seams!!! ...Hard to believe all that balsa core rot you encountered across the complete foredeck area!!! WOW!!!

How did your cabin top area do around the main salon hatch and companionway rails?? THOSE were our main problem areas.

The cabin top area and hatchway are also a mess but far more solid. They show obvious signs of major neglect over the years and shoddy patch jobs using caulk and epoxy sealant on the mahogany hatches and such but for the most part I can walk on them without fearing I will step through. The prior owner also stained, not varnished, the companionway hatch panels and trim as well as the cockpit trim...but THAT is another story!

 

[Papidoos56]

BTW... I know this is all a lot of work but these crafts deserve our love and TLC. I got mine for basically paying off the winter yard fee so if I have to put in 100 hours of work, I figure I am still getting a bargain. You know it's funny, as a contractor I drive around and see houses everywhere that are being neglected. Gutters falling off, trim rotting out, paint in need of freshening up. I think to myself, "how do the owners let this happen?" don't they realize that this is an investment that has to be taken care of? How many of us have seen similar crafts sitting in yards and marinas all over the country. Neglected, not maintained, so sad.

My Dannsair Mara (Sea Dancer in Gaelic) is one of such boats. She was poorly maintained by her prior owner who also apparently got her for a song. He did the absolute minimum amount of work over the years, letting stanchions leak, ignoring the rot and dampness. He/they obviously didn't sleep on board since the cushions were also gross...they just pumped the whale every time they boarded to clear out whatever water had made its way to the bilge. I have already replaced a bunch of the interior trim, I am making all new cushions at home, and this boat which was probably destined for the scrap yard will soon be seaworthy again. I am going to set her right. It might take a couple seasons but she will once again dance upon the waves.

Now as to the cabin core around the mast base...anyone got some advice on that bear? It needs reinforcing but I am reluctant to de-skin the dack top and expose it all. What about holes and injections????

 

[Papidoos56]

What year is your 32-2? ...Ours is a ‘73 but the foredeck has never had any coring issues other than at the very bow around the cleats. We got up underneath into the anchor locker and managed our repairs plus added a large aluminum plate to better secure the cleats as well as to attach an anchor bow roller now leading to a windlass. (We never noticed any variation in balsa coring thickness either.)
View attachment 37872

...The main areas we had any real balsa core problems with was the cabin top areas around the old Teak main salon hatch and our direct wood to deck companionway slides. (It was a constant battle to keep wood joiner work and wood to decks sealed!)
(We eventually gave up and sadly did away with the ever leaking Teak wood hatch by building up a glassed in area to then install an aluminum hatch.)
View attachment 37873

The worst area of concern we had was the companion way: ...My son actually removed a section of upper decking between the companionway rails and totally replaced the balsa coring and then reglass the top back in place. We then made a hatch lid to cover the cosmetic sins of the cabin top repair and further reduce collecting waters in said area.
View attachment 37871

Deck fittings and hand rails of course were also removed, drilled out oversized to then be filled with a thick epoxy. They were then re-drilled to correct sizes. This hopefully eliminates future water intrusion into any of the coring.

It’s definitely a lot of work but well worth the efforts as the 32 is a great boat as a cruiser or even a racer. (Owned mine since new in ‘73)

GOOD LUCK and don’t get discouraged!!!

Great pix. Great ideas. See my last reply below. I have many of the same issues. BTW...the prior idiot, sorry owner, stained all the mahogany trim in the cockpit. It looks awful. I intend to sand down and clear coat. What did you use? It looks terrific.

 

[Papidoos56]

You know your core is wet when you can lift large panels of the top fiberglass layer. We just kept going until we got to the areas that we fixed from below. The "good" thing about it is it makes the project go very fast. You can see the wide ground out seams that are glassed over and some lightweight filler (red) for fairing. Frustrating to start, very satisfying to finish. You will be very happy when done.
ChrisView attachment 37878View attachment 37879

Nice work!!!!

 

[tenders]

See my mast step repair above...I would not consider bandaid solutions when mast support is an issue. The mast rests on a thicker fiberglass layer, positioned above several inches of plywood, which spreads the load across the bulkheads and two supporting columns below. Sagging or flexing will bring the mast away from vertical, relying on weak or undesigned materials for support off-column, opening up an array of potential interesting outcomes at inconvenient times.

 

[kapnkd]

BTW... I know this is all a lot of work but these crafts deserve our love and TLC. I got mine for basically paying off the winter yard fee so if I have to put in 100 hours of work, I figure I am still getting a bargain. You know it's funny, as a contractor I drive around and see houses everywhere that are being neglected. Gutters falling off, trim rotting out, paint in need of freshening up. I think to myself, "how do the owners let this happen?" don't they realize that this is an investment that has to be taken care of? How many of us have seen similar crafts sitting in yards and marinas all over the country. Neglected, not maintained, so sad.

My Dannsair Mara (Sea Dancer in Gaelic) is one of such boats. She was poorly maintained by her prior owner who also apparently got her for a song. He did the absolute minimum amount of work over the years, letting stanchions leak, ignoring the rot and dampness. He/they obviously didn't sleep on board since the cushions were also gross...they just pumped the whale every time they boarded to clear out whatever water had made its way to the bilge. I have already replaced a bunch of the interior trim, I am making all new cushions at home, and this boat which was probably destined for the scrap yard will soon be seaworthy again. I am going to set her right. It might take a couple seasons but she will once again dance upon the waves.

Now as to the cabin core around the mast base...anyone got some advice on that bear? It needs reinforcing but I am reluctant to de-skin the dack top and expose it all. What about holes and injections????

There was actually a factory flaw in our ‘73 main brace mast support with the load being supported completely down to the keel and it cracked on the inside. That was problem #1 we’ve resolved as a fix story in itself. The other was water intrusion from around holes in the mast step plate for the antenna coax and instrument wiring.

We (with a lot of old salt sailing terminology) removed the mast step plate. (DO remember to mark exactly where it goes back to.) All holes were enlarged and an Allen Wrench was inserted into a drill bit to remove any water damaged areas. There shouldn’t be too much as Ericson had a thick lateral support layer below the mast as well VS just balsa core. We filled all the drilled areas with a somewhat soupy mix of epoxy to insure no air pockets were created.

If decking forward or aft of the mast area is in bad shape (Ours was not)...IF it were me, I’d tackle that task from below to help insure decktop integrity.

Sounds like you got a real bargain with your “diamond in the rough” and am glad to hear that you’re more than capable and willing to put in the realized and needed efforts to make her really shine brightly again.

Even though our boat is now 48 years old, ...we still get lots of compliments on her looks wherever we sail to. (Makes all the $$, sweat, blood and tears of effort worth while...beyond just the self satisfaction.)