Chrysler Sailors Forum

Hi, question for any C20 owners. I've found a lot of rotten plywood which encapsulates the foam flotation in the stern below the cockpit. Anyone have the same issue? How would you recommend dealing with this? This area is very difficult to access and I don't yet know how far the rot extends. Help!!

Not on my boat, sorry not much help to offer.

Adam that bytes!

The link is to a product that may help. Sounds like a no fun job to take out and replace then reglass!

http://www.systemthree.com/store/pc/Rot-Fix-c39.htm

I've never used this product myself....

Billy

The 20's are great boats, but notorious top leakers due to a flawed rail design that holds water in. As a former C-20 owner I would make sure what needs to be solid is. eg, the plywood that holds the keel winch, the mast step, the wood that supports the standing rigging, etc. You can easily go way overboard on these 40+ year old boats as far as time and money if your a purest. The wood supporting the standing rigging on my 20 had been reinforced. The wood that enclosed the flotation material was 1+" thick, moist but intact. I don't know how many years it would have taken to dry them out, but they served the purpose and held the flotation material in place. I don't know how your boat compares. Here's an interior vid of my old 20 as a reference.

http://youtu.be/ufDeHz3FxfI

I use the KISS'S principal when it comes to old boat repair. Keep It Safe and Simple..... and and Sail 'em! Just my 2 cents worth. Best of luck to you Nunya!

Goop post Bruce,

Thanks Bruce!

So yea it's tight in there, but you could get in there and cut out any bad wood, dry it out as best you can... then glass in some new wood.

Goes without saying to stop where the water is getting in, ie sealing the hardware up top. I would imagine the foam is waterlogged too. I know folks with C-22's have cut out there foam for the same reason. Lotta weight in there if it is wet. What you do then is open to debate. Storage is nice, an not sure what flotation could go back in.

Billy

Thanks for the input, I have all the deck hardware removed, deck sanded mostly, ready to paint and rebed hardware, then probably just patch up the rot. Not planning on going crazy with it I don't think that area is structural. Will post pictures when done.