I have a BB3 that I built some years ago. My son used it last year and didn't take the plug out and it filled with water and sat a long time that way. In the back are where the flotation is it swelled and separated the deck from the sides. After letting it dry out all summer the swelling went down but now I have a crack at the deck and sides. How would you guys recommend to fix this. Thanks for any help you can offer.
Repair help for BB3
- Thread starter aabraham
- Start date
Geeze, that is tough. I would take out the saw and open those sponsons to investigate. I don't know why water in the boat woudl cause the deck to lift. Decks have lifted from boats, even years after building, as a result fo the flotation foam swelling in the heat - did he store it in the sun, whereas you stored it inside?
T
T
Ray
Well-known member
Did the screws pull through the decking?
Did the screws pull out of the shear?
If you are getting water into the sponsons then something is not sealed well with fiberglass and you might have a serious wood rot issue that needs to be fixed.
If you used two part foam there is little likelyhood that water swelled that type of foam. Ice might have formed under it and pushed it up but the foam should have crushed rather than push the deck up.
I would take it apart and clean it out to make sure there is no water build up and wood rot. Fix anything you find.
Did the screws pull out of the shear?
If you are getting water into the sponsons then something is not sealed well with fiberglass and you might have a serious wood rot issue that needs to be fixed.
If you used two part foam there is little likelyhood that water swelled that type of foam. Ice might have formed under it and pushed it up but the foam should have crushed rather than push the deck up.
I would take it apart and clean it out to make sure there is no water build up and wood rot. Fix anything you find.
I have had this happen on a wood decked boat. That foam is great material, but it does seem to continue swelling over time. I opened up the seam as best I could, then took the blade off a bow saw and carefully cut the foam down to the deck contour. Next I cleaned up and repaired the joint between the deck and gunnel, then epoxied it all back together. It is holding just fine.