TOPIC: Cross member support?

Cleaning out front of boat - there is a cross member one side has some wood rot about 5 inches the rest of the wood is rock solid - it has been encased in fiberglass - I assume the broken window above let rain in which weakened the wood - I really dont want to replace the whole thing - what if I attached a support strip behind - sealed all with resin and fiberglass?

I've never done it myself on a boat but it's referred to as " sistering " in the trades and I can't think of a reason why it wouldn't work for you. My Brother-in-law has done it on a few boats and says as long as you don't skimp on screws and you glass everything up tight it's great for your own use but costs you at resale. That's all I've got. Good luck with it.

Rot can spread and grow affecting the rest of the beam. Be sure to remove the rotted section of wood, treat the exposed areas/edges. Also, fix the source of water entry so it does not happen again.

I think that if you are going to the trouble of putting a sister in there and fiberglassing it. your only a short step away from cutting out the old making a new piece and a proper install. Short cuts tend to cause problems later on. in all aspects of life.

Ditto the above. Patching is a bad habit to get into. That cross piece is structural. I'd remove it, ALL of it, duplicate it in white oak, double coat it with CPES and then re-install. After that, all you need is a thin layer of fiberglass and a little paint.

Thank you - good advice