prindle decks, are they foam core?
Ive started my injection repair on the 79 p16, drilled my hole 1/4" deep in the decks.
the front portion of the hull has the foam layer and glass underneath.
However, the are between the beams, there is no foam layer that I can find. As soon as the bit punches through the top layer, theres nothing more underneath. Are prindle decks not foam core like the hulls?
How do I strengthen this area? Do I have to cut a hole and glass it from the inside?

Yeah, I was a little worried about that. In 1979 they were still debating whether foam laminate or straight fiberglass were the way to go.
It is likely that the decks are not foam laminate. If they are cracked badly, you may have to take off the decks (likely attached with marine sealant, and put a layer of fabric and resin on the inside to stiffen them up and a coat of resin on the top, paint and re-attach them. I'm not sure how they come off on a prindle. On my Nacra there is a seam on top that you run a sharp thin utility knife under until you cut though the sealant.
If they aren't cracked and just 'oil can' a bit you may not need to bother with them as they cannot be delaminated. I know my cat is straight fiberglass and it oil cans pretty disconcertingly on the sides and a 'little' on the decks and you can hear a little bit of crunching on the decks but I haven't worried about it so far.
Regards,
Dave
Dave Bonin
1981 Nacra 5.2


Do I have to cut a hole and glass it from the inside?
in those structural/non foam core areas, you can sand past the gelcoat and build up ~4 or so layers of matt glass over cracks. i just added an album in the beachcats technical albums titled prindle 16 transom repair showing my recent transom repair. don't sweat the cosmetic stuff this season, you may not be finished repairing hull yet...get it sailing and see whats up!
http://www.thebeachcats.com/pictures/?g2_itemId=79947
coastrat

coastrat wrote: i just added an album in the beachcats technical albums titled prindle 16 transom repair showing my recent transom repair.
Good job with both the repair and the documenting pictures, thanks for taking the pictures. It helps the next guy take on the project knowing that a hole like that can be fixed.
____________
Damon Linkous

thanks damon, still amazed at how many repairs i have made with one qt of west system...got my moneys worth for sure. really don't miss film cameras, digital is so nice, just buy batteries!
anrkii, meant to tell you this crack/tear needed to be cut out(loose material) first i had to pull a few tricks working around the plywood and aluminum on the transom. stress cracks can be glassed over and injected if need be. i love working with glass, if you don't like what you did, cut it out and do it again!
coastrat

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