E35 MKIII - Stains & Rot in Teak

I'm looking into purchasing a 1986 E35 MKIII, and have problem.

This boat has experienced some leaks somewhere in the coach roof area that ended up running down the starboard side of the coachouse sides - staining the teak veneer, and in a couple of places, rotting it.

Have any of you experienced leaks like this - and what did you do about refinishing (or where necessary), replacing that veneer? How hard is it to do something like that? This boat has also got some leakages up in the forepeak of the bow - where I suspect the seal on the chain locker insert and an apparent rot in the edge of the cabinsole, in the head.

Anyhow - any advice on leaking what you did (or can be done) is appreciated.

Sean:

I had the same problem with leaks and delaminating veneer on my E-27. I just fixed the leaks and got a boat yard to cut me out a new piece of teak veneer, using the old stuff as a template. It was quick and relatively cheap. You need to varnish the new stuff, a chore I have not gotten around
to yet.

Morgan Stinemetz

Sean,
I replaced the 1/4" teak veneer plywood around the ports on KAIZEN my 1978 34T. The removal of the port lights is first and then the real hassle of separating the plywood from the fiberglass. I used a sharp 1" wood chisel which worked well, quite messy. I cut cardboard patterns to match the areas requiring replacement and used those for the final layout. At $150.00 a sheet for 1/4" G1S teak plywood you don't want to make any mistakes. The final step was thickend West epoxy and lots of clamps. I used a router with a flush cut bit to clean up the openings for the port lights. The cabin looks great, as good as factory.

Do yourself a favor and locate the leaks before you start this project. The PO had removed the coach roof handrails, which is another story altogether, and the water infiltrated the bolt holes.

Jeff Tobrocke
s/v KAIZEN
1978 Ericson 34T

Originally posted by Sean Engle
I'm looking into purchasing a 1986 E35 MKIII, and have problem.

This boat has experienced some leaks somewhere in the coach roof area that ended up running down the starboard side of the coachouse sides - staining the teak veneer, and in a couple of places, rotting it.

Click to expand...

That was a problem I had in my boat also. In the case of my E31, the looped teak cabin top handholds were leaking and water was migrating down the 1/4" screws and onto the top of the vinyl headliner. From there it made its way to the sides of the liner where it contacted the ferrous staples Ericson unwisely used to install the headliner. These of course, rusted and as the water continued its path downward, stained the 1/4" teak veneer that comprises the vertical side of the interior of my cabin top with black streaks.

Jeff Tobrocke is correct that you need to repair the leaks before starting the restoration of the veneer. I removed my handrails which consisted of taking down the headliner sufficient to permit access to the nuts on the underside. Your handrails might be fastened differently but you'll need to address the leaks first or all else will be a big waste of our time. If you discover that the edge grain balse beneath the astenings has gotten wet and rotted, you might want to consider inserting the short end of an allen wrench into your drill motor and fishing the long end into the screw hole from the outside of the cabin and while spinning the wrench in the hole, raising and lowering it so as to sling the rotten balsa away from, and clearing the area around the hole.

Allow that to dry some in there, tape the bottom of the hole and proceed to inject West Syatem #105 epoxy into the void you have created with the allen wrench by using a plastic (think Tupperware type plastic) syringe available at West Marine. You must completely fill the void. After that cures, drill out the holes through the center of the epoxy and reinstall the handholds using 3M 101 sealant or a suitable type of your choosing as a bedding compound. I would recommend using self locking nuts and fender washers to prevent the fasteners from loosening even a slight amount.

If you can live with the amount of rot on the veneer, the stains are easily removed with a mix of oxcalic acid and water therefor avoiding the whole veneer. As I recall, there are several types at West Marine to choose from. Apply the stuff directly to the stains over and over until the stain is magically gone. The secret is being patient. Just keeping doing it until you're satisfied with it.

Consider using "Git Rot" available at WM for the rot if necessary.

My veneer actually delaminated from the plywood, necessitating my making two vertical cuts quite close to one another with an Xacto knife which allowed me to apply small amounts of 105 under the delam. As part of the same cosmetic repair process, I had prepared a batten that I applied more 105 to and laid over the cut and temporarily held in place with staples.

I counterboared the batten in three places and placed the staples in the holes so that the next day I was able to remove the staples and plug the holes leaving the impression that the batten had been screwed in. I also instralled a second batten in the same manner on the other side of the cabin for symmetry.

I'm attaching a view of the interior of my cabin where you can see the batten in question and the three teak plugs. It's just to the right of the
brass lamp.

Regards,

Glyn Judson
s/v Dawn Treader, an Ericson Independence 31, hull #55
Marina del Rey CA

Mine Leaks Too...

I just purchased a 1985 E35 this July and have the same leak, in the same place. Mine drips just above the Starboard portlight in the main cabin, not much but enough to cause concern.

I have placed my hand in the headliner but can not feel any wetness. I can not figure out where it could be coming from, does any one have any ideas?

John Yandow

E35, Hull #177
Mean Jean
Malletts Bay, VT

John:

I had the same problem until I pulled off the grab rails on the outside of the coach roof and rebedded them, making sure I had plenty of 4200 sealant where they touched the coach roof. I also through-bolted the grab rails for a more secure fit. It was a good idea. No leaks.

Morgan Stinemetz

Dorade Vents Leaking?

My 1984 E35-III has the same leak and I accidentally traced it to the dorade vents at the base of the mast. I had to seal up the open storage box and remove the vents and install the caps. As far as I can tell the box itself is part of the coach roof and the bottom is a piece of wood cut to fit.

This wood is "sealed/painted" and with time it rots. I found this out when I removed the vent caps and tested the dorades in preparation to reinstalling the vents which the PO had removed. I used a hose after cleaning the drains. When I went below it looked like "Gordon" had passed through. I reinstalled the caps. Several months later I noticed the same leak after a rain storm. I traced that to the open storage box located between the two vents. I have since sealed the box with a cover made from Sunbrella.

I have yet to figure out how to fix the problem. The best way would be to replace the wood bottom. This would mean removing the headliner and possibly the head door frame. The opening in the top are too small to get your hands in so that you could fiberglass over the rotted wood. I have thought about cutting the top off of the box and then fiber glassing the bottom. I would then fabricate a new top from teak and reinstall the vent mount rings. None of these sound like a lot of fun.

Any suggestions from the group?


Ray Rhode
S/V Journey
E35-III

I have a 1981 E38 with the same dorade and storage box configuration. I understand most of us with that configuration have problems of water leaking into the core and on into the cabin.

My fix was as follows:

Storage box: I chipped out the rotted wood and ended up at the inner fiberglass layer of the cabin roof. I allowed the box area to dry out over the winter. I then plugged the drain holes with dowels covered with plastic (for release and easy removal). I then poured in west system thickened to the consistency of tooth paste - still some flow but not soupy. With rubber gloves and a stick, I managed to get the epoxy into all the corners and seal the box.

Just before the epoxy set, I pulled the dowels blocking the drain holes and smoothed out the drain path from the inside. Just in case, I made a cover for the box with a piece of Formica glued to a block of wood the shape of the oval box hole. I wrapped a thin piece of foam around the block for additional seal.

The Dorades: I did about the same thing with these although there is not enough room to dig out the wood or move the epoxy around. I blocked the drain holes and poured in the epoxy.

The fix seems to work well although I still have a bit of leaking into the balsa core. Only possible place left is main hatches in cabin top which will soon be pulled and resealed.

Tom Trimmer
S/V Mistress
E38

Follow Up is Good!

O Barquinho is on the mend! Check out the "projects" section of this website, and see how I'm ripping the head out!

Picking up attachments.

Glyn Judson left the following. " I'm attaching a view of the interior of my cabin where you can see the batten in question and the three teak plugs. It's just to the right of the brass lamp.

Regards,

Glyn Judson
s/v Dawn Treader, an Ericson Independence 31, hull #55
Marina del Rey CA "

How does one pick it up.

Richard Davis
s/v "Felicity"
1968 Ericson 30-1, hull #66
Channel Islands, Oxnard

Attachments

That's still a problem - I have to do a modification to this software so they can post directly. I'll find his image and email to you directly.

Thanks,


** This was corrected with the updated version of this software. You can now post images with your posts!