CHB Deck Layers

[CTP]

Hi again,

Just heard from the surveyor, and looks like the boat I'm getting has some deck issues on part of the main deck. I'm trying to find out how the CHB decks were constructed so I can start planning my attack.

From the top down is it teak--fiberglass--plywood--framing? Or teak--plywood--fiberglass--plywood--framing? Or some other order, etc, etc.

OH! And is the teak glued and screwed? Or just screwed?

Thanks!

[Comodave]

It depends on the model year, the older years the teak was screwed down and the newer years may be glued down. The probable order it teak on top then fiberglass. Then the core material then fiberglass on the bottom. The core material could be plywood or balsa. If the deck has water intrusion then you will probably go in from the top. Remove the teak and it will probably be ruined then cut the fiberglass with a thin blade circular saw. Lift the fiberglass off and remove the core material. Clean off the bottom fiberglass so the new coring can be epoxied to the bottom fiberglass. After replacing the coring then coat the coring with epoxy and put a thickened layer of epoxy on top of the coring and then lay the top layer of fiberglass back into the thickened epoxy and weight it down. After the epoxy has set up then fill the saw kerf with epoxy or preferably lay some 1708 over the saw kerf and fair out the deck repairs. Then refinish the deck with either teak or some nonskid paint. I personally would use Kiwigrip to finish the deck instead of teak. Kiwigrip is really easy to use and it holds up very well.

[CTP]

Okay, thanks, that sounds quite doable. She's a 1980, btw.

I'm looking at using Coosa Board as the new core material. I'm also wondering if it'd be easier/smarter/not good/stupid/etc to remove the top layer of glass along with the teak and just re-glass anew on top of the new coring and fair it into the existing glass along the margins of the repairs.

The flybridge and mid-deck look to be in good shape, with no leaks, and I can keep them protected easier.

And yes to Kiwigrip. Been checking it out today, looks like really great stuff.

[Comodave]

You could go either way with the fiberglass reusing the old top glass or starting fresh with new glass. I love Kiwigrip paint. It is really tough stuff. We had to repair a couple of areas that the PO had repaired, just not repaired well, so I had to sand off the Kiwigrip. I tried a DA sander with 80 grit. Wouldn’t touch the Kiwigrip. Went to 40 grit, no go. Got my belt sander with 80 grit, no go. Finally went to 40 grit on the belt sander and that worked but took quite a while. Amazing how well it held up to the sanding.

[CTP]

Okay, I'm sold on Kiwigrip! Everyone I have talked to loves the stuff.

And I will wait until I start removing the teak to decide how to proceed with the glass. All in all it sounds like a lot of work, but nothing I haven't done before. Also very glad I only have to do the main deck...not so bad, square feetwise.

Thanks for the advice!!!

[CTP]

In case anyone in the future finds this thread, I'm going to post the link to the video series I just found on doing what I need to do to my decks...although I may not be doing patches but rather the entire thing.

Anyway, here it is -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vyOx1Wv4LE

[Comodave]

If you end up doing large sections then make sure you block the deck up from below as it may sag when you cut out the whole thing. You don’t want it to change the camber of the deck.

[CTP]

Ah yes, very good call!


I had a thought while standing in my shop today and looking at a carbide tipped 1-1/4" hole saw (I have a machine shop, so these kinds of things are already around me)


I'm going to try this as an experiment. Once I get some teak removed, I can drill into the existing screw holes in the top glass using that hole saw to just cut out the glass. Start with them every couple feet and work my way closer together - giving me peepholes to the core. Then any areas that are still good I can treat accordingly, and same with any that have bad core.