Look what I found - problem?

[bigi]

I'm sanding my decks in preparation of re-doing the non-skid. I pulled the hatches to work on them. Things looked generally good under the deck. But, I found some delamination around the stringers. Not sure if it's a problem or not. Is it superficial or does it need to be addressed right away. Is it a sign of bigger problems?

Photos are attached.

[bigi]

Is the delamination I'm looking at just the fiberglass work to make the compartment or is it what ties the stringers to the hull?
Sorry if it's a stupid question. This is my first sea craft. I'm learning :-)

[JohnC]

What year and model boat and what is it's history?

It almost looks like someone glassed down another layer of roving inside of the bilge. I imagine if someone did that with poly resin and without prepping the existing glass then it would eventually delaminate and look a lot like yours, can't tell without seeing more.

Can you pull it apart enough to see what's under it? whatever it is needs to come out anyway. Under it you will find fiberglass stringers properly tabbed into the hull with healthy looking tabbing or else major delamination of the stringer/hull joint.

I have never seen or heard of a Seacraft with major delamination issues but I guess it's possible.

pull it apart and try to post pics of what's under it.

[bigi]

It's an 89 Sceptre I picked up last fall. Not sure if it's history. It's in decent shape. Not looking to do a complete restoration.

I'll pull it apart as you suggested and post pics.

Thanks

[flyingfrizzle]

Originally Posted by bigi

Is the delamination I'm looking at just the fiberglass work to make the compartment or is it what ties the stringers to the hull?
Sorry if it's a stupid question. This is my first sea craft. I'm learning :-)

The stringers are normally casted in a mold and then placed into the boat. From the hulls Ive seen they have wrapped them in wide pieces of cloth that went from one side all the way around to the other with the tabbing all on the one piece. Not to say they didn't add tabbing in the corners like shown in yours but most Ive seen are done wrapping over the stingers and tabbed to the floor. Could be added after the fact like mentioned or could of been added at the factory originally. I have had mainly older early 70's hulls so the latter year hulls may of not been laid up the same or it could just be how this one was done. My guess why it is separating would be the glass it was laid on was fully cured and had little prep prior to the filets being added. They may of not sanded the base prior to adding it or it could of had dust on it keeping it from boning well. Even if it is poly it should not separate if prepped well.


It wouldn't be too bad to pull the delaminated sections out and then add it back with some 1708 if it looks like it needs the beef in the stringer bases where they meet the hull.

Originally Posted by bigi

It's an 89 Sceptre I picked up last fall. Not sure if it's history. It's in decent shape. Not looking to do a complete restoration.

I'll pull it apart as you suggested and post pics.

Thanks

Being it was a later 89 model may have something to do with it. While a lot of post 80's produced hulls have said to be built ok to well there has been reports that they were not built as well as the earlier 70's year ones.

[GreyGhost]

I have an 82 Seacraft that I am currently working on and have the exact same issue on the port side. I removed what was lose and rebonded to the hull. Going to use 1708 to build up and match the other side. My issue occured because of 2 problems, 1 the bond between the stringer tabing and the hull was virtually non existent and 2, there was some water in the stringers. The other side is rock solid.