Cockpit floor delaminated help

mderry

New Member
Hi
Just picked up a Laser. Very solid with the exception of the cockpit floor. Skin has delaminated from foam and in some areas there does not appear to be any foam left.
Could someone point me in the right direction on how to repair.
Not adverse to cutting out and relaminating with new foam but looking for any tips. What resin to use, where to get, what foam to use and where to get, how to refinish joint where cut was made, reinforcement etc.
Thanks in advance
Mark
 
This has been talked about on many other threads on this forum, but as I have a hard time posting links right now, here's a recap.

Your problem is common, and I would recommend taking the boat to a professional marine fibreglass repairer (that's what I did myself), although it has been fixed successfully DIY style, too. It doesn't require cutting, removing or laminating anything, just injecting (what I believe was) thick epoxy mixed with very short pieces of fibreglass through small holes drilled at selected spots on the cockpit floor. This was done to my boat some 15 years ago, and it's still as solid as new.

_
 
Hi mderry,
I'm doing the same repair to my laser II. I've done the decks , now for the floor.
Do your homework and you can fix it yourself.
Search for deck repair, or de-lamination,
films on Youtube.
Best of luck.
 
Thanks
Did you drill holes and inject epoxy or cut out the deck and relaminate with new foam?
If you drilled holes what size did you drill and how far apart? Where did you get the syringes from? Did you use the West 105 system? Any added filler or chopped glass?
Cheers
Mark
 
Hi Mark,
I drilled 1/8 inch holes through the first layer of glass, every 4 inches in an offset grid.
I injected epoxy with a turkey baster type of syringe into each hole, then tapped small mylar circles over the holes.
Then I turned on my hairdryer to apply pressure from the inside outwards.
I had pre tested the air pressure, blowing into the drain hole, and tapping over any deck holes or air leakage.
The key is to ensure that the layers of foam core and the layers of fiberglass are pressed together.
Left the airblower going for 24 hours until the epoxy cured.

no need for fiber / chopped glass additive, won't work with syringe.
I did add a little cabosile to increase adhesion, but not so much,
I wanted the epoxy to be liquid and little bit runny.

have a backup syringe, wear gloves,
I used painters tape to stick the mylar down.

I'm just heading out to the shop now to do a cabin floor the same way.
 
Last edited:
Here is a shot of the stern deck with holes spaced 4 inches, laser II.
After the epoxy cured I dremmeled out a divot and patched that with epoxy with microballoons
This filled in the divot and gave me something to sand and make a smooth deck surface.
It's now solid as expected, bow deck also. Ready to paint...almost.

IMG_5549.JPG



and a shot of the cabin floor at 2 inches, about to inject epoxy

IMG_5550.JPG
 
Thanks
Did you do a small area at a time when injecting the epoxy and watch for it to come up the adjacent holes or did you do them all at the same time?
Where did you get the syringe from ?
Cheers
Mark
 
Yes,
I've done a section at a time,
The front section of floor I've done all at once, both sides,
The syringe I use comes from Composite Canada in Mississauga Ontario.
"Disposable Syringe with Catheter Tip 100ml"
 

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