Cabin floor to hull support – fiberglass issue?

[Rob Osterman]

Hi there,

I noticed that a few of the supports between the cabin floor and the hull aren’t looking too great. There’s some peeling of the fiberglass and I’m concerned that the supports are something structural.

Have any of you seen this issue in attached picture? Is this something I can repair with basic fiberglass knowledge? Or should I leave this to the pros?

Thanks!

Rob

Attachments:

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[ewanoleary]

All too familiar! I’m replacing and refiberglassing several as part of my refit. The originals were pretty week. Biaxial and a lot more strength coming up. 

With humility and gratitude.

Ewan

[typhoontye]

The cabin floor is an upcoming project for me, but I’ve decided to go cruising sooner than later, so it will have to wait till next Summer. I don’t know if the piece of lumber you show in your pic is original or not. Kind of looks like pine, which would lead me to believe it is not original, but a beef up by a PO. I think if it were me, I would remove it, jack the floor to where you want it, if necessary, then replace it with a solid piece of teak or similar. Then grind the hull thoroughly around the point at which the lumber contacts the hull, clean it up, and reinforce with biax and West System or similar.

David

[Chuck Ruble]

Rob, it’s a floor support. It’s factory. The only thing wrong is there aren’t enough of them. The light laminate wasn’t thoroughly saturated.
It’s not coming apart. There’s plenty there still holding it in place.
Grinding laminate should be the last resort. It’s very messy.
Every soft product in the boat needs to be removed. Glass dust will get everywhere.
Paint the bilge with some Bilgekote and it will go away.

[ewanoleary]

All,

My starboard side support broke off in a grounding. I’ve replaced the original pine with a harder, denser mahogany, I forget which type. I’ve glassed it in with biaxial. I’m replacing a couple of stringers with this wood, where they’re little rotted or otherwise damaged. 

I will be doubling up the supports on the stringers I’m replacing. Its going to get dusty and itchy aboard for a bit!

Ewan

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