Delamination, Part II

[MassMax]

On Saturday we toured a 2001, 30’ Maxum SCR. I brought along a mallet I purchased from Sears that is identical to my surveyor's mallett. In checking out the stringers I found at least 8 hollow spots that showed visible bubbles. The broker and yard mechanic are checking with the owner to get permission to drill a few of pilot holes to check the condition of the core. No one had a moisture meter available. Is it possible to have delaminating of the fiberglass or possibly the bubbling of a single layer of fiberglass without moisture being the cause?

Additionally I discovered a 4-inch gray patch, non-fiberglass, at the bottom of the bilge approximately 3-feet in from the transom. Tapped with the mallet it appeared that whatever is under the patch is soft and mushy. There was no explanation offered for the reason why the patch was necessary. Is it possible that this section of the hull has a wood core? This boat has twin 5.7 MerCruisers plus a Westerbeke 4.5kw generator in the engine compartment.

Here is something that got my curiosity: The engine compartment has an "engine compartment heater". Possibly the original owner kept the boat in the water durinrg the winter, it came from a lake in NH, to keep the compartment above freezing.

Thank you, bill

[seapuppy]

Hi Bill
well...from my recollection on construction tech's of maxum boats....they sometimes build up an area with a chunk of plywood and then overlay it with fiberglass so they can have a higher area for water to collect for the bilge pump..if there is no pump..then there should be.....which would explain why it might be mushy.....if water got into it ..then the plywood probably rotted out.....which is still easier to grind out and rebuild up with just fiberglass....
now if the stringers are sounding hollow in places...that can only mean that they are rotted out..chances are that you have some stringer rot.....there is good news and bad news....you can negotiate a lower price for the cost of the repair....if this is your boat...your in deep doo doo.......the good news is on this one is that stringer repair is an easy fix.....cut out a chunk of bad wood....fit a new piece to size...glue the snot out of it so it holds well...then fiberglass the area to look like new...a good glass guy can make it look like it never happened.....

let us know how it went...

SP