Repair soft deck

So is the general consensus that "Git-Rot" and drilling several small holes, still the best and easiest way? My local West Marine store isn't very knowledgeable about "other than wood" uses for their products.

Git rot is just a very thin epoxy. There are plenty of other epoxies that will also work well. I’ve used epoxy from uscomposites.com and it works quite nicely and is a reasonable price. West epoxy would also be a fine choice. If the epoxy is too thin, it may leak through porosity in the inner fiberglass skin and just drip into the hull.

I would select the epoxy/hardener based on the amount of area you need to fix and the ambient temperature and working time you think you need. Otherwise, the general process is the same regardless of the type of epoxy. Mask off the area. Drill holes (through the outer skin only- use a drill stop). Inject epoxy and ensure full saturation of the area. Allow epoxy to gel. Remove masking tape. Allow epoxy to fully cure. Clean up holes and paint/gelcoat as desired.

sm

In addition to the potential leaking problem mentioned by sm, I have read that Git Rot works just fine, but wont give you the rock solid feel it had before. Some people say it has a slight rubbery or spongy feel (with high pressure applied) after the repair. That being said, I have some Git Rot on stand-by that I plan to use for any soft spots that develop on my boat. Also, that's all 2nd hand info. I haven't had to make the repair myself, so I can't confirm how accurate that is. If anyone knows better, please correct me.

I would also recommend you inspect the inside fiberglass layer for cracking/damage and avoid Git Rot if there are any problems inside. And of course, repair the inside damage before repairing the soft spot. I've seen a couple failed repair attempts due to internal damage. The epoxy just flows right out inside the hull.

-Kyrle

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Standard Hobie 18

I very much like West Systems epoxy. I've filled 5 soft spots with it, and every single one has been solid as a rock ever since. Never noticed any flexing or anything once the spots were filled, and two of them are right on the top of my hulls where I'm sitting all the time.

I've also weighed the pot before and after injecting epoxy, and found that even without much 404 filler, I only ended up injecting about a half a pound of epoxy into the soft spots (once I figured out how to do it properly), so I really don't think the "added weight" is anything to fret over.

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Mike

'79 H18 standard 'Rocketman II' sail #14921 RIP
'78 H18 (unnamed) sail #14921
'08 H16 sail #114312
'97 H21SC sail #238