Soggy Boat

[Mama H Chicago]

I cut two inspection ports into my 1965 Sunfish today. The fact that she feels like 400 pounds made what I found less of a surprise…. The foam blocks that I can see are all broken lose, and completely soaking wet. Any wood blocks that were in there are now loose and rotted. Where do I start on during this out? And do I need to put in all new foam?? It’s a good thing I like playing with boats

 

[shorefun]

Since you have a port opened make aluminum backing plates and use 316 stainless screws and nylock nuts.

 

[Saltydog87]

There are some great vids using small fans to circulate air through the boat using those inspection ports - this will help dry the inside.

 

[Mama H Chicago]

I just weighed the trash bags containing the completely loose chunks of foam that I pulled out. I only retrieved loose pieces, from aft of the cockpit….32.8 pounds ‍

 

[Mama H Chicago]

There are some great vids using small fans to circulate air through the boat using those inspection ports - this will help dry the inside.

I actually bought two pc fans that I planned on using on my 1972 sunfish. I don’t think a year if fans running in hot sun would have dried out the foam in the 1965 girl. It was sopping wet. I tried squeezing the pieces and some came out, but they are fully saturated. Now I’ve got to make a de idiom about how I am going to retrofit foam or airbags or something inside the 1965. We are expecting rain overnight and it’s outside. I was able to flip her deck side down and when I did, I heard what I’m sure was every remaining block fall down and roll around in the hull.

 

[Breeze Bender]

Looks like you’re doing all the right things. Any loose stuff will come out of those ports, and now you’ll have access to replace those rotted blocks later.
Yes, even a waterlogged hull can be dried. The fact that you were able to flip it over is encouraging! Any of the excess blobs of soaked yellow foam that you can reach can be cut away except that around the white structural blocks, though it sounds like those white blocks are loose, too? Don’t cut anything from them, they will dry and can be reset.
Yes, you can pour in new 2-part expanding foam if you need to once the hull is dry. It’s kinda scary and kinda fun, just read up on it first!
For now, if your boat is outside I’d wrap it in black plastic (or tape a couple garbage bags to the deck and keep it in the sun with your muffin fan going. Might tape a piece of screen over the open port to keep critters and acorns and such out.
In the meantime you’ve got the new rudder to refinish, the gudgeon to attach, and that sweet blue deck that will polish up like a marble! How’s the sail?
And another Sunfish to sail for now, right? Sounds like a deal to me!

 

[Mama H Chicago]

Looks like you’re doing all the right things. Any loose stuff will come out of those ports, and now you’ll have access to replace those rotted blocks later.
Yes, even a waterlogged hull can be dried. The fact that you were able to flip it over is encouraging! Any of the excess blobs of soaked yellow foam that you can reach can be cut away except that around the white structural blocks, though it sounds like those white blocks are loose, too? Don’t cut anything from them, they will dry and can be reset.
Yes, you can pour in new 2-part expanding foam if you need to once the hull is dry. It’s kinda scary and kinda fun, just read up on it first!
For now, if your boat is outside I’d wrap it in black plastic (or tape a couple garbage bags to the deck and keep it in the sun with your muffin fan going. Might tape a piece of screen over the open port to keep critters and acorns and such out.
In the meantime you’ve got the new rudder to refinish, the gudgeon to attach, and that sweet blue deck that will polish up like a marble! How’s the sail?
And another Sunfish to sail for now, right? Sounds like a deal to me!

Eeek! A lot of the white foam has been cut into pieces and taken out now too…. I found that two part expanding foam last night. I was thinking that I could refill the space left by the white soggy foam with that?
I know the rest of the blocks are all loose, so I won’t cut any of them up, and I’ll see if they start to dry.

 

[L&VW]

The white Styrofoam blocks were designed to support the deck as you move across it. They also serve as emergency flotation.

Of the many '70s Sunfish that have entered my outdoors workshop, all have retained the original Styrofoam blocks.

Since the forward Styrofoam blocks have been removed, they'll need to be replaced.

You're in a unique position to see if a restoration is possible using 2-part foam. (I'd take the chance on this technique, although I've never done it!).

Aftrr replacing the wooden backing blocks, I'd turn the boat on its side and build up layers. (Keep in mind that foam expansion can be fast and scary-strong).

But some big advantages are: 2-part foam won't absorb water, too much foam won't harm performance or safety--and it's easy to trim away any excess. It's also less messy than trying to insert new Styrofoam blocks.

Finish the process by pouring the foam into a tilted boat (45°) so the foam reaches across the underside of the deck. (Where you'd sit or stand).

This has the potential of making a very rigid boat--with no soft areas.

Good luck with it, and glad you like "messing around with boats".

 

[joe c]

i cut 8" ports in if i can. i have an 8" tornado desk fan from target that i shove in the port and it will pretty much dry everything overnight. just have a port cut at the opposite end if you can to let the air circulate through. through bolt the port with nylocks like was suggested but i like to use stainless flat washers as big as i can get. then bed the top of the port, the flange, with life seal. i dont really think you need to back it with an aluminum ring. if youre going to bother with that, might as well tap the ring and use machine screws. you could even use wood epoxied if you really wanted. but i think the washers work fine. and once its bedded, no water gets in and its more or less adhered. and you can remove it if you need later.

how did the water get in there???? thats the real question. even a tiny hole in the right spot will let in tooooons of water in a very short time. the previous owner of my boat used sheet rock screws to hold some cockpit fittngs on. i took them all out but didnt fill the holes. they were about an inch above the floor. so plenty of water could get through. there were 2 of those holes. the amount of water that would squeeze in there was incredible.

having a dry hull is amazing.

i dont like usng the pour foam in the hull bottom. if you have a transom drain, youll obstruct the water from getting to it unless you can get some kind of scupper in there. or pathway for the water to run aft.

 

[Mama H Chicago]

i cut 8" ports in if i can. i have an 8" tornado desk fan from target that i shove in the port and it will pretty much dry everything overnight. just have a port cut at the opposite end if you can to let the air circulate through. through bolt the port with nylocks like was suggested but i like to use stainless flat washers as big as i can get. then bed the top of the port, the flange, with life seal. i dont really think you need to back it with an aluminum ring. if youre going to bother with that, might as well tap the ring and use machine screws. you could even use wood epoxied if you really wanted. but i think the washers work fine. and once its bedded, no water gets in and its more or less adhered. and you can remove it if you need later.

how did the water get in there???? thats the real question. even a tiny hole in the right spot will let in tooooons of water in a very short time. the previous owner of my boat used sheet rock screws to hold some cockpit fittngs on. i took them all out but didnt fill the holes. they were about an inch above the floor. so plenty of water could get through. there were 2 of those holes. the amount of water that would squeeze in there was incredible.

having a dry hull is amazing.

i dont like usng the pour foam in the hull bottom. if you have a transom drain, youll obstruct the water from getting to it unless you can get some kind of scupper in there. or pathway for the water to run aft.

I learned more today about the heritage of the blue girl…she was literally found in an alley in Evanston iL, set out for garbage. She was found about 5 years ago by the person from whom I got her. She was full of water visibly, so he took a half inch drill bit and drilled about 8 holes in the deck, trying to drain her enough to transport. After that? She sat in the garage waiting to be restored. Life happened, and her rescuer’s wife passed away unexpectedly. Then his daughter had a psychiatric breakdown, and the blue girl sat and waited. And now she’s mine and she’s on her way back!