deck repairs

[john]

I was getting my Ty ready to launch and discovered a split in the port side deck, close to the chain plate. My guess is that there was water infiltration in the core at that point which froze over the winter and caused the crack. The crack is about six in. long, is slightly forward of the chain plate, ending at about the forward end of the plate.


My question is how immediately serious is it? Can I seal it with caulk and deal with it in the fall or does it need to be done prior to use this summer.

The soft area seems to be about 2 in. wide by 6 in. long. Is that too big a void to fix with the bent nail/epoxy fill procedure? Otherwise, I assume that the repair is to cut out a section of deck, dig out the wet core, replace with plywood or endgrain cedar, and replace the deck piece (if salvageable) or build up with glass & epoxy. I just got a quote of $1,700 from a yard so, whatever is needed, it looks like I'll be doing it!


Thanks for your help.




john.hoft-march@appleton.org

[jeff Funston]

I would not tension the rig until you were sure the chainplate had adequate support and would not cause even more damage. It does seem likly that the crack was there before and a freeze would make it more visible in the spring. Do you think someone overtightened the shrouds at some point in time?



jefffNospam@pinn.net

[john]

I would not tension the rig until you were sure the chainplate had adequate support and would not cause even more damage. It does seem likly that the crack was there before and a freeze would make it more visible in the spring. Do you think someone overtightened the shrouds at some point in time?

Its hard to say. There is a repair spot similarly located but closer in to the cabin side on the starboard, so it could just be the long term effect of pressure on the deck.

As to the chainplate, yes, I think it is adequately supported. I'm just concerned about the deck alongside the cabin and how much of the mast load that actually carries (as opposed to the cockpit bulkhead, the support knees in the cabin, and the rest of the deck).



john.hoft-march@appleton.org