From: gc138@yQCh8u-01oX8PkMT4YOTOFELL_659RqrICGO3NVhT2bO8SkVhOOZq4mWBY06dOyVALU8.yahoo.invalid
Reply-To: SJ-24@yahoogroups.com
To: SJ-24@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [SJ-24] Rebedding Deck Hardware
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 08:51:53 EST
Mitchell - Some might say this is a case of 'if it ain't broke-don't fix
it'. The problem with deck hardware in my opinion is the following.
Even though you say it seems to be watertight, all you know for sure is
that
water is not leaking into the interior cabin where it is visible. Remember,
you have an inner liner under that cabin top that might keep water that
leaks
through the cabin top mounted hardware confined to the core area. Unless
the
mounting is particularly loose (the bolts, i.e.) , the moisture might not
get through to the cabin interior and just wick around and into the core
balsa
which is common in this boat. You will have to make a determination somehow
if
this has happened or is happening.
Tapping (with a small hard mallet or large screwdriver handle-- not a
hammer
please!) around the mounting areas and comparing sounds all over the cabin
top is one way. You should get a solid sound everywhere. Remember that you
are
tapping on a sandwich made up of an outer and inner fiberglass layer with a
dry balsa end grain core. In spite of what we think of balsa from model
airplane days, the end grain is quite strong and solid when dry. If
moisture is
present in the core, it will turn soft and even mushy and you won't have a
solid
sandwich. I guess you could compare the sound of a good core similar to
tapping on a solid wood board and the sound of a delaminated core similar
to
tapping on a piece of medium thickness plastic.
The other method would be to actually remove a piece or two of the hardware
and take a look.
In my opinion, the best bedding procedure is the one where you overbore the
bolt holes, fill them will thickened resin, redrill the bolt holes and
mount
hardware with an aluminum backing plate. Dave Brezina will back me up on
this
method and I have read it many places also. This is what I did on Spaghetti
and I have a lot of confidence in the mounts. That way, even if you
mounting
leaks, it will not get into the core because the core is sealed. You may
still
get some into the interior if the mounting started to leak but then you
can
rebed it.
My 2 cents worth.
George #18 Spaghetti
