I have to remove a couple of sections of a H-18 deck and wondered if anyone has done this and has words of wisdom they might be will to share.
Thanks.
I guess the first question to ask is what is wrong with the boat that requires deck removal?
If it is just soft spots in the deck then search epoxy injection and spend a few hours and the
Boat will be as solid as new.
H18m
p16
Venture15
You really can't remove the deck on a Hobie 18. The deck is one piece and it's bonded to the hull all along the hull flange. If you try to separate the deck from the hull at the flange, you will end up destroying the flange.
You can cut out an area of the deck, but keep in mind you will be cutting through a sandwich section which means you will have to repair inner and outer skins as well as the foam core. You will also have to repair the gelcoat which will likely involve repairing nonskid. It is a fairly involved project and you need to do it right because the deck contributes a lot of strength to the overall hull structure since there are no bulkheads or stringers inside a Hobie hull.
What exactly are you looking to do?
sm
Steve M.
~~ Buy another boat / hull(s)~~ :-O π
~~popeyez7~~
~18 Hobie mag~
~17 Hobie w/ super jib~
~2 Kayaks
~ jet-boat 150 hp.
~~ Vietnam Vet. 69-71 ~~
OK...Sorry for late response, but rec no note of replies.
I figured the questions. I am taking red line hull that was to be scrapped, had typical crack in hull forward of dagger slot, and redoing into an outrigger. I need to remove the forward deck section to form a mast step in hull (I know I could step it on top...) to make set up easier, as I trail the boat and the mast is a stubby that supports a 26 foot yard and boom, ala Malibu Outrigger, with shrouds.
Hull is now solid and doing step, cockpit, akas and shrouds last as scheduled. I had not correctly figured the righting moment, as I sort of suspected, so now must deal with it in spring. Too cold here to do now.
I know the hull is sandwiched foam. I have located the seams from the inside via inspection port.
In this case, I plan to remove about 18-inches or half meter of deck about 3-4 feet aft of bow, and replace when finished. Stubby mast will rest on step, going through deck...makes is easy to set up on trailer.
Need working room to form step properly and spread out forces from righting moment, even if mast is stayed.
I have split and rejoined hulls in past and all are fine. This seems easy enough, but you never know, and Murphy hangs around...rejoining the forward deck to boat would not be that difficult, seems to me, if deck is carefully removed according to a plan, which I think I have figured out.
I am also adding a foot-well just aft the dagger slot and that cut will be different in that I am "planning" to keep the current joined seams and angle the edges into a glass/epoxy cockpit about 3 feet long x beam-width, with base for floor supported on carbon-reinforced hull contoured tubes tabbed to reinforced hull (tabs will be to area sections where inner foam has been r/r'd with epoxy bog). The Hobie construction is weak sandwich and needs the stiffer hull reinforcement to hold together. I also suppose I could use carbon in inner glass too.
Besides, the step needs length stress support to stern, especially if I add the foot well, even if tabbed to dagger case.
Carbon is light, strong...etc, but not using along length, to keep flex close to glass original.
I know this may be a one-off, just wondered if anyone had messed with deck/hulls and had some advice.
You can view pics on this site, to give idea, here: http://www.thebeachcats.co/pictures?g2_itemId=107387 http://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures?g2_itemId=107387
Edited by BobBill on Oct 13, 2014 - 10:34 AM.