Any suggestions on this problem

[Frosty]

I have a 7 year old power cat. Where the hull meets the deck the bulk heads were not sealed.

When the deck was lowered on, the seal was glassed around the inside of the join but obviously not on the 1 inch grain side of the bulk head. The seal will obviously leak at this point and some forward bulk heads separating 4 forward compartments are already rotten and I am tearing them out.

I am now worried that the builder did the same to the 6 in hull bulk heads.

It would appear that the ply wood bulk heads were fitted dry and then fileted before glassing in. This has left a canal under the bulk head that can hold water from the deck seal.

This is certainly the case for the forward ones and I am cutting them out but I don't know what to do with the other main hull bulk heads which would be a massive job.


I was thinking of cutting a --say 2 inch hole as close as I can to the deck seal and chip out the remainder with a chisel. I can do this without too much damage to interior. But what about at the bottom?

How would you go about checking to see if there is water ingress at the bottom.

[Alik]

Where is You cat now?

[Frosty]

Langkawi.

[Frosty]

Its not often I ask for advise, some people think I know everything but I dont. Fibre glass and stuff like this is way above me. Ive been awake most of the night trying to think what would be the next step to do.

We had a talk this morning --Mrs Frosty and I and I think we may sell.

If I could think of a way of checking first though.

I was thinking more on a 3 inch hole cutter and cut a hole behind the cupboard some where right on the edge where water would be evident.

Ive been walking around it most of the morning looking at what would be involved in replacing bulk heads with glassed in fuel tanks and water tanks.

[Alik]

If is was close to us I could have a look; giving advice by correspondence is too risky. Any pictures of cat, and of problem areas?

[Frosty]

The front bulk heads dont worry me( if they are called bulk head) they separate 4 forward compartments where a trampoline would be on a sailing cat. These I can handle but is a job from hell working in 100 degrees with 1 foot clearance, however they have been cut back and the hull to deck join sealed now , I have just to replace the rotten bits, I have left one side of the fibre glass in place so I just need to make a piece and slop it in with epoxy and seal it back in.

Thing is if the mains are the same!! but I don't know and I don't know how to check apart from cut a hole.

Why or how could a well known boat builder do something like this, I am hoping that the main bulk heads were sealed and the forward compartments partitions were left as this was a power boat and not a sail so it got overlooked!!! now thats what you call clutching at staws

Im a steel man , you don't get this with steel, rust yes but you can repair anything with a plasma , welder, and some paint.

[liki]

What is the extent of the manufacturer's hull warranty? At least here in the socialistic welfare states the consumer protection legislation places the responsibility quite clearly to the the manufacturer, legislation in Thailand is likely quite a lot more relaxed. Here the main deciding factors are usage, a clear fault in the product and expected usable age of the product, but businesses are not protected by the same rules.
Still it would sound probable that hull warranty of a respected manufacturer would cover these kind of problems?

[Frosty]

But hang on a minute, ---there is no damage till I find it. Just perfect white fibre glass bulk heads --its what lurking underneath I need to investigate, I cant take a picture --there is nothing to see yet.

Im not bothered about the front compartments thats,-- nearly done.

Before we get the lawers letters going the question is how do I check to see if the main hull bulk heads have leaks?