Sampson Post and fiberglass deck joint.

[ttex]

https://www.instagram.com/p/B7PhGHdHgCl/

That picture shows our Sampson post and deck. I filled in the gap with thickened epoxy to stop water from going through for the time being while I figure out what I am going to do permanently.

When I removed the teak deck from this area it was just a half inch gap all the way around the Sampson post, allowing water to get in.

Now the question I have for y'all. Should I ultimately do an unmoving bond between the post and the deck with epoxy and fiberglass? Or should it be done with a flexible sealant?

Is it even possible to really bond fiberglass to wood like that with stresses from three directions independently on the post?

Does any of this even make sense? Have I gone boat crazy?

[Sparx]

My first thought is to check the under deck support for the sampson post. The sampson post should be stoutly connected to the hull all the way from keel to just under the deck. Typically there is a bulkead or beams below deck that solidly transfer the forces on the post into the hull. Confirm all below deck is good.

Then use a flexible sealant. That post is going to slighlty move! No matter how firmly supported.

Avoid Epoxy/fiberglass as the stiff epoxy bond will transfer the movement of the post into the deck, possibly cracking the deck.

The sealant should run the full depth of the decking under the teak all the way up to above the teak, creating a deep flexible seal that channels water away from the post.

There may be other even better suggestions.

[ttex]

Thanks, I had a feeling that was the case but I wanted to get some feedback from those with more experience than I.

I put that thickened epoxy in there and it started leaking about two months later after a hard wind above 35 mph ( sorry I dont know how to gauge knots yet) put a lot of tension on the lines going to the post. That is why I started thinking a flex seal would be required.