posted 05-21-2003 09:25 AM ET (US)            

The other was given to me 6 years ago and is a 1968, 16'. I drilled 3/8" dia holes around where the center console was screwed down and around the area in the stern where a battery was mounted. The foam was wet in both areas and it was very apparent on the drill bit. I drilled outward in each area until finding dry foam. I drilled a number of holes in the saturated area then flipped the hull upside down and put it back on the trailer. That was about 6 years ago! I just moved it into my garage last week to start on it again. I am going to drill some more holes in the area which was wet and check the foam condition. If moisture is still apparent I would say drying out the foam is unpractical without doing major cutting on the hull. If dry I will fill the holes with solid fiberglass rods coated with liquid epoxy. After the epoxy hardens I will grind a small bevel into the repair and the surrounding floor and fill the area with epoxy and fiberglass mat then grind flush. Then I will start with refinishing the hull and interior.

Checking for water before buying seems to be a very tough job. Due to all the weight variables it is tough to weigh the boat and determine much unless the hull is very wet. Drilling holes? Kind of hard to believe any seller is going to let some "buyer" drill holes in his hull to check for water. The most obvious thing to check for is water dripping from places that should be dry. My 21' had a "never ending" drip from a through hull below the water line in a forward compartment. I would also look at anything that is screwed into the hull. Does it feel loose? Are there any screws that are loose? Any holes where srews have been removed and the holes not properly filled? I don't believe many boaters take the time to rebed all those srews that go into the hull. Without proper bedding everyone is a potential source of water intrusion. I would also look for a boat that has never had bottom paint, has been trailer stored and garaged. I know, tough to find but it gives you the best shot at avoiding problems. I also plan on seeing how FEW holes I can put into my 16' once finished.