[alberg30] Re: DECK SPRING

Paul,

Yes, you can recore from the underside, but that takes a lot more
skill at glassing.  I didn't feel that our nonskid was in good 
enough shape to try to save it.  The deck gelcoat has gotten
pretty porous and needs painting, anyway.

Also, we've got the interior liner.  Getting a smooth interior 
surface would be as much of a problem as getting a good exterior
surface.

I wouldn't recommend using plywood for core.  It has less resistance
to water damage than the original balsa core.  It will delaminate
if wet and the wood fibers will carry the moisture in four directions.
I used a foam core because it's light (like balsa) and completely
unaffected by water.  You can get it from Fiberglass Coatings in Florida
(http://www.fgci.com/ 800-272-7890).  Their web site is not well
developed, but they'll be glad to send you a catalog.  I find their 
prices reasonable and they are easy to deal with.

 - George


> RABBIT649 at aol.com said:
> 
> From: RABBIT649 at aol.com
> 
> I have seen descriptions of how to fix the core from below in order to
> preserve the original deck non-skid. I f you can get access to the underside
> of the springy spot, you cut away the underside and scrape/ grind/ whatever,
> the core out from below without cutting thru the top layer of Fiberglass and
> gelcoat. Then you glass in a pice of plywood the thickness of the core and
> relaminate the underside of the patch. Sounds great until you start working
> overhead in GRP. It's a horror.
> Paul

-- 
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  George Dinwiddie                                  gdinwiddie at min.net
  The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span those hours spent in
  sailing.          http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Alberg30/
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