[Brian Duff]

Hi Yawl,

Whats the best fix?

THis boat was built with inboard chainplates mounted to fiberglass knees attached to the hull. The knees are of 2" wood center and 3/8"+ fiberglass mat/roving and very well attached to the hull. 5 of the knees have had water into them and the wooden center is gone GONE gone.

Whats the best fix.

My logic follows this path : the fiberglass is the structure,and it is well attached to the hull. The wood inside was never attached to the hull by anthing more than bondo. The wood inside is softer than the fiberglass, so provides no real sheer resistance for the bolts. The wood inside was not being used to creat a stiff, cored panel. The wood inside was essentially a form to build the knee over. The only other purpose I can see for the wood inside is compression resistance for the chainplate bolts to be tightened against. Sound?

So the fix i propose is to install compression tubes at each of the 10 bolts for each chainplate, and a drain hole at the bottom of the knee to help any water still in there to dry out. Rebed the chainplates with solid glass bosses around them in the deck to prevent any further leaks. Sound.

The two fiberglass guys I have had come in to look at doing this work have both suggested either to put tape over all the bolt holes and pour resin in till full (what BS is that?) OR to cut a side off of a knee, replace what wood can be replaced, and glass over the hole.

Problem I have is that right now there is a solid fiberglass structure in place and they want to cut it completely down one side, the make another secondry panel to replace what they can of the original strength. Doesn't seem like the right solution to me. I talked with a fellow rigger at a nearby shop, and he is in the same boat as me - compression tubes. Why don't the glass guys get it?


or maybe, What don't I get?