Deck Delamination

[Corwin]

I have a spongy deck in the cockpit right around the fuel fill. I'm thinking about pulling the engine and get started on the repair job from underneath. I've never even seen work like this done and I'm hoping all of you here can help me avoid mistakes.

Thanks,

 

[Guy Stevens]

Why are you pulling the engine?

How large is the area of delamination? Are there other pieces of hardware involved?

Guy

 

[Corwin]

Maybe a couple of square feet right in front of the companionway. Probably the most trafficked spot on the boat. The only hardware involved is the fuel fill cap. That fitting is the whole reason I have the problem but what can a guy do?

 

[tenders]

I wouldn't make this any more difficult than it needs to be. You have convenient access right in the middle of the sponginess, so use it.

Remove the fuel fill and scoop out all the rotten core around it. Let it dry out. Seal the bottom of that big hole with duct tape or (what I used) a carefully-laid piece of 5-minute epoxy stick -- the putty kind. Then fill up the whole darn thing with thickened epoxy, a few ounces at a time so it doesn't catch anything on fire.

Once solidified, redrill the hole for the deck fill and put it back in.