Assess Safety From Description of Deck Condition

A conversation among Whalers
RaySmiley
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2024 9:22 pm

Assess Safety From Description of Deck Condition

Postby RaySmiley » Wed Jun 25, 2025 9:20 pm

Q1: What is a procedure to assess the safety of a 2003 MONTAUK 17?

The boat has the following conditions:
  • has not been in the water for about 14-years;
  • has been sitting in south Florida exposed to Summer rains;
  • has several areas, each about the size of a softball [or about 3.8-inches in diameter] which are depressed below the deck level and cause water to pool;
  • solid gel coat;
  • no visible cracks in gel coat;
  • no sign of "water bubble" when the deck is stepped on;
  • exterior is solid; and,
  • the location of the depressed areas are not where there is embedded wood reinforcement (according to the wood locating diagram)

Q2: based on the above description, is this 2003 MONTAUK 17 safe?

[Moderator’s note: moved to THE GAM forum.]

jimh
Posts: 13290
Joined: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:25 pm
Location: Michigan, Lower Peninsula
Contact:

Re: Assess Safety From Description of Deck Condition

Postby jimh » Tue Jul 01, 2025 1:11 pm

Please read some general advice in the FAQ at

Q3: Is there water in a Unibond hull?
https://continuouswave.com/whaler/reference/FAQ/#Q3

RaySmiley
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2024 9:22 pm

Re: Assess Safety From Description of Deck Condition

Postby RaySmiley » Tue Jul 01, 2025 10:41 pm

[This boat has] been through the elements, but as far as I can see, again, [there are] no [visible] areas of real water [ingress], at least not near the [soft] spots.

Q3: will a photograph [of the soft areas] help [readers to assess their threat to safety]?