Stiff Fiberglass Sailboats

[GIOVANNl]

Those all seem like great boats. I am happy to see boats like Sparkman and Stephens and hinkley in there because you know they are well built. Am I mistaken, or do all Alberg and Cape Dory’s have balsa cored decks?

Thanks for the help,
Giovanni

[siamese]

You really should take deck coring out of your considerations. Otherwise, you're going to overlook a lot of vessels capable of doing what you want.

It's understandable that you might not want a cored hull, as there are many people who like to avoid them due to a fear of water intrusion below the waterline. There are legitimate reasons to have a cored hull, but those reasons may not apply to you. For the type of sailing I do, I prefer a non-cored hull.

Bear in mind that 99% of available boats have balsa cored decks. There are a few exceptions, like the Island Packet, which use a synthetic coring. Island Packets have other issues to consider. Do a search on chainplate replacement on an Island Packet. I'm not saying don't get an Island Packet because of the chainplates, just that buying an IP simply because it has synthetic coring would be an over-simplification of the process.

Decks are cored because it makes them strong but lightweight. When you find a boat you like, have it inspected for water intrusion in the deck. If it's solid, and the boat meets your requirements, buy it. As an owner, part of your maintenance schedule is to keep the deck watertight.

[Don C L]

Older boats like mine have plywood core in deck only.

[Tayana42]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Older boats like mine have plywood core in deck only.

Mine too is cored with marine plywood. Built in 1989 so not just old boats, whatever that means. Don’t be afraid of cored decks just get a good survey to be certain you don’t have any rotted core. My deck is about two inches thick with glass, ply and glass layers. Never had any water intrusion so far (knock on plywood).

[siamese]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Older boats like mine have plywood core in deck only.

So as not to confuse the OP, balsa or plywood is essentially the same for the purposes of this discussion. Bottom line, there's nothing inherently wrong with a wood cored deck.

[GIOVANNl]

Would the deck be completely watertight If every screw that goes into the core is rebed by taking out the core around it and putting epoxy in its place?

-Giovanni

[Tayana42]

Giovanni, now you’ve got the right idea. Every screw or bolted on attachment should be drilled out oversized filled with epoxy and re-drilled to the needed size so there is no opportunity for water to get into the core. That and proper bedding should take away your worries about cored decks.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by GIOVANNl

Would the deck be completely watertight If every screw that goes into the core is rebed by taking out the core around it and putting epoxy in its place?

-Giovanni

Yes and no.

It would almost completely eliminate the risk of water intrusion into the core.

It will not permanently eliminate leaks into the interior. The reasons for leaks starting will not be alleviated, old bedding, flexing of the hull/deck, cyclical loading on the items bolted down.

I am currently doing this for all the deck items on my boat.