Cuddy Deck Repair

[mccrum187]

I know several members have attacked this problem from top-side. I was given this boat. I found that the transom had some rot and the engine required lots of repair. So with the engine already off, the transom repair seemed like a good move. The PO decided to replace the transom at some point and hacked the cap apart at the rails. I removed the cap to splice together the transom cap and the rest of it. So, that is why I have my cap off.
Further investigation showed the cross brace under the cuddy deck was rotted and split. The cuddy cover slide rails had the bolts run through this wood and that is where the rot started. I also found that every hole in the glass for a fitting had rotted wood underneath. So, I ripped off the glass on the underside of the cuddy deck to find nothing but saturated, sopping wet, rotted plywood.
The boat that Mark built....
Anyway, I would love feedback, commentary, suggestions.
I don't know why Wellcraft used 6" squares of plywood. Can anyone speculate? I think it would be easier to fit in small chunks rather than a sheet. I am also thinking about incorporating some crown into the deck to shed water. The deck was dead flat if not sagging some before I removed the cap.
I currently have all the wood remnants and high spots ground down. I have patched all holes in the top-side. I am at a point to decide to whack up a bunch of plywood or use a single sheet. Can anyone give pros or cons for the small chunks? I will do what Wellcraft did if I can't find a reason not to.
Thanks for looking.
Mark

 

[reelapeelin]

mccrum, I wanted to do what yer doin to an old '74 I had, but just couldn't undertake that level of work...a couple of us toured the Pursuit factory back in '07 and they use those squares too...particularly on surfaces w/subtle curves like your bow deck....that model DOES have some curve (fall) from the slider rails down to the edge of the bow, however the fall is not as pronounced as later models...the amount of fall is gonna be tricky to determine w/cap off...only way I can think of to determine is measuring from floor deck up to bottom of dash...not on the hull will make that rather difficult...if that curve isn't right, your windshield won't go straight across and the center window won't close properly...only way I can think of is to measure the drop from rails to edge-lip on a good one and replicate that...great pics...keep 'em comin thru the project!!...

 

[baconaneggs]

Mccrum, That's very interesting what reel said. I was going to chime in and say just use one sheet, all those squares seem crazy! And I would have been so wrong! To add to what reel said, here is a post that I found while researching something else on the site.

#7

09-16-2009, 09:36 AM
nymack66

Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Orlando Florida
Posts: 944

I am in agreement with the guys here, If you cannot locate any aluminium bars you can consider using a 3/4 plywood to fill in the entire area resin it to the inside skin and use longer bolts with washers, all the stress and weight is condense to this inside skin pressing outwards, it will not hurt to add the ply, If i remember correctly every 3/4 ply with mat and resin on it gives you 1500 lbs of support in a 3'x3' square ?

​

So it stands to reason that all those squares in the deck give the proper camber and pitch and at the same time are strong. You can probably cut some plywood jigs to clamp to the deck to give the contour you need and glass it back just the way it was. Good luck!

 

[reelapeelin]

This is pretty good shot of the fall we're talkin' about...I may have underestimated when I said earlier there was not as much fall as in more recent models..this drops off pretty good...

Seeing this, I think if you insure a straight line across where the windshield mounts will fix the fall in place for glassing...and support the outter edges...understand, I've never DONE this...

 

[mccrum187]

Thanks for the replies and the picture! I hadn't thought about the windshield not fitting correctly. I thought that the deck supports in the cockpit would take care of the windshields. I can re-attach the glass and check fitment before adding any ply. Any foreseen problems with just making sure the deck at the windshields stays flat as was suggested? I like that idea much more than putting the glass back on.
Looks like a lot of crown in the picture. A lot more than what mine had before I tore it all apart. There were puddles of water sitting on the deck (on the trailer).
Currently, I have cribbing supporting the deck at the rails with about a 2" max fall to the center with just the weight of itself. I think adding the windshields will cause the skin to deform in a fore and aft direction because of the weight. I imagine I could shim for that as well.
Wellcraft used slurry of chopped fibers and resin to attach plywood to deck. Any reason I couldn't use micro-balloons? I have access to balloons.
Thanks for looking.