TOPIC: Is this bad?

I've been hoping that the damaged fiberglass on the bottom of my Scott looks worse than it is. The floor is solid, so I'm not too keen on tearing it out to inspect the stringers and foam but IMHO, this to me looks like water damage from the inside. When I pulled the boat out of storage, the cover was missing and when I cranked up the tongue jack, water started pouring out the drain hole! Quite a bit I may add. Is this a sign that water has damaged the glass from the inside out? I've tried to find similar problems but can't find any quite like this. This bad spot is only on the flat bottom not the entire hull and only on one side oddly enough. Any thoughts on this, good or bad would be appreciated!

hi there. im no expert by any means but did i hear you right that the floor was ok. in mine the floor was a little soft in a few places. i was told to cut an inspection opening to look and see if it was dry or wet. i had the old open cell foam under my deck and true to form it was water logged. just as suspected from the guys.
i knew it had to come out. in your case it might be a good idea to make a small opening near the problem from the floor. something big enough you wouldn't have too much problem patching in the case it was good under the floor and that the bad stuff was only on the skin and not through and through .. maybe see if the spot is wet from the outside or if you think maybe try to inspect it enough to know it is only superficial . i havent had enough experience to give a for certain answer but my own experience tells me to do a little , just a little exploring. im sure more will add to this and all of it will be very helpful.

billy

I guess I'm just a little scared of opening that "can of worms"! I'm afraid of what I'll find! I'd like to think that by keeping the bow pointed up, I've kept the foam dried out. I guess I'll wait and see what the consensus is. But I'm thinking the peep hole is not out of the question!

pirateblack,

ImVho, it's time to "pop the cap", get out all the foam & everything that looks even a little "suspect", repair the bottom from the inside, replace everything that was torn-out and them put the deck back on.
(Anything less "invasive", imo, is "begging for future trouble".)

yours, satx

Thanks for your opinion satx! I guess I'm going to lean in that direction. Whether I like it or not, it's probably going to be the best decision among most. If I could only go back and make sure the cover was on and she was tilted up!!! I will most likely be looking for serious help in this since I don't think I'll be able to drop her off for the fix. You guys will be my mentors and family in this resto!

The hull area shown in your photos appears to be an old repair of some sort. based on the pictures, it looks as if the boat may have hit or scraped something enough to gouge it. One area looks like it may be deeper than the rest. In any case, it looks to have been an amateur attempt at a repair at best. I don't know how cold it gets where the boat is stored, but when water freezes, it expands. It is powerful enough to break apart engine blocks and concrete. Foam in boats (even if closed cell) rarely stays completely dry. I have seen boats with wet foam that have been stored inside a dry barn for 10 years. Unless the boat has deck plates in the floor that can be removed, air can not circulate freely. Without air movement, the under floor area will never dry. Foam under a floor will stay wet forever unless removed. But back to the area in the photo - you'd be wise to see if there is any sign of cracking that will allow water to enter the hull. If the boat can be safely used now, maybe wait until after Summer to work on it.

Not that you need a fourth opinion, but the gang is spot on here Pirate. Once they're soaked under the floor, there really is NO way to get them truly dried out. (Unless maybe there is absolutely no foam and/or wood in the construction.)

Even after the water stops draining out, more than likely the mold has already started down in the dark, dank underbelly. You may get another season out of her before the structure begins to fail, but it is inevitable at this point IMHO.

The GOOD news is you've got one of the best support groups and sources for information in the world behind you here, there's not too much that hasn't been tackled before! If a rookie like me can rebuild one, anybody can do it.

Ditto above. I was seeing an old repair too. That waterlogged foam has to go. It will never dry and you boat will always be heavy and never perform as well as it should. Just think of how much water your towing around when you go and how much extra weight when your on the water and just how much flotation is actually there if you do God forbid need it.

Well, I would feel better knowing she is healthy! I'd imagine for a 53 year old boat it's overdue. Is there anything else I should consider taking care of at this point? If I have the floor out, I don't want to miss anything! Any tips for keeping the foam dry in the future?