Re-foaming an Entire Unibond Hull

[BWboy]

I am a new owner of a 1987 Montauk [17]. I bought it with the intent to do some minor restoration and refitting and then use it this summer. I am 19 with a good amount of boat experience and lots of experts on speed dial. I found the transom is water logged from a bad [brass] drain tube—which is common.

The foam in the transom is wet. I know because I took two samples of it by drilling holes. There is also a large soft spot in the floor by a mount for a leaning post, and another one around the hole for the fuel lines into the [rigging] tunnel.

I plan to remove the console and about everything else in the cockpit.

Q1: should I re-foam the whole boat and fix the transom?

Q2: or should I inject epoxy into the soft spots on the deck, replace the drains, let the transom [remain untouched]?

Transom feels solid but I know the foam at is wet. I have 28 days of completly free time before the summer starts. By then I want to be working on the interior and [rigging] controls.

I am a real novice. I just sold my 2001 SPORT 13.

[jimh]

Q1: should I re-foam the whole boat and fix the transom?

Your notion of “re-foaming” the entire sealed and inaccessible interior of a 17-foot Unibond hull is unworkable. You would have to tear apart the hull and liner, essentially destroying all structural integrity of the hull.

If the transom structure has failed due to rotted wood, you should replace the wood reinforcement. That would be a major project, and I would not recommend it as your first attempt at repair of a Unibond hull.