rjwilliams77 wrote:...I wanted a little project of my own.
The deck area of a classic OUTRAGE 18 boat has a large molded laminated fiberglass piece that covers the fuel tank cavity. This deck laminated piece has plywood backing. If there is a soft area in the deck, the cause is usually due to the plywood backing being soft from water saturation or rot.
The remedy is not a simple or quick process.
The caulked seam of the deck center laminated assembly to the hull liner will have to be broken--if it is not already compromised. The deck section will be removed to be worked on elsewhere.
The deck section is then usually supported on saw horses and inverted so the plywood backing is facing up.
The plywood areas that are wet or soft or rotted are mechanically removed, but with care not to damage the actual fiberglass molded deck structure. The areas of the fiberglass where wood has been removed are then sanded to remove old resin and any remaining wood.
When all the wet or soft or rotted wood is removed and the remaining wood is all dry, strong, and free from decay, new marine plywood is cut to fit the needed areas, then adhered to the laminate with a structural adhesive, such as marine-grade epoxy. Typically some weight might be added to press down on the wood to insure there will be a good bond to the fiberglass.
This is a common problem. This occurs because the plywood was not particularly well sealed at the time of manufacture.
To prevent recurrence of decay in the plywood, the plywood should be coated with epoxy resin and completely sealed.
When the repair to the deck is completed, the deck is reinstalled. All the screw fasteners holding the deck in place should be installed with a caulk or sealant to help prevent water getting into the wood via the screw holes. Then the gap between the removable center section and the fixed deck areas of the hull liner must be carefully re-caulked.
This repair is illustrated in an archived article. See
Cockpit Deck and Central Hull Cavity Overhaulhttps://continuouswave.com/whaler/refer ... epair.htmlAnother very nicely done and nicely documented repair of the center deck section is explained with many illustrations in this two-part article, at
Under-deck Repairs On a 1985 OUTRAGE 22
by Jeff Rohlfing
PART ONEhttps://continuouswave.com/whaler/refer ... store.htmlOUTRAGE RESTORATION--PART TWO
by Jeff Rohlfing
REBUILDING THE DECKhttps://continuouswave.com/whaler/refer ... tore2.html