J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment Phatom rebuild

I've posted pictures of the repairs to Phatom at phatom364.blogspot.com. Unlike Rattle and hum most of my work is being done on the hull. Where ever possible I'm working from the inside, but quite a few spot go clear to the center line so they have to be done from the outside.

Hey John,

Just looked at your blog, that's quite a chunk of rot you found in your transom. Good luck on your project, I'll keep checking in on your progress!

By the way you Emailed me about the glass I used, well this is the deal:

It's called BTI or Bi-Axle VectorPly. It's a fabric placed at 0 and 90 degrees with chop strand matt stitched to the back.

According to OP Fibreglass, Nova Scotia, Canada (where I bought this stuff) it does 2 things:
1) Reduces layup time - since best practise is to layup cloth and matt one after the other.
2) BTI doesn't use basket weave - the under and over weaving of the fibre strand when making cloth which is a weak point in the fibreglass cloth.

Hope this helps

Jason Penney
Rattle & Hum
Hull 124

updates have been added to phatom364.blogspot.com

John & Jason,

Did you do moisture meter readings before starting? If so, how well did the map correspond to wet core you found?

Bill

Hey Bill,

I didn't do a moisture meter test, I used the cheap tap a hammer against the hull and listen for delamination.

After I bought the boat, I drilled about 10 holes throughout the hull (below the waterline) to confirm the tap test. All was dry.

When I did the "tap test" on the transom and the deck I would mark where the sound changed...everytime I cut it open to get at the bad section I wasn't more than an inch off.

I guess what I'm saying is I trusted my method and didn't pursue any further.

Jason - "sounds good" pun intended... I know I've got the typical J/30 problem on stbd transom. Last year I saw small bubbles barely noticeable in the gelcoat above the waterline on transom (not full blisters) and took pictures so I could compare this year. The bubbles stayed the same size, but now there are very tiny crazing lines below the waterline on stbd transom. Not a good sign. My plan is to continue and launch this year, then do the work next fall/winter. I'll try the tapping method this weekend and see what I can map out for delamination.

I did not use a moisture meter. I tapped with a hammer. I also had several areas of delamination. After I cut through the hull, I kept expanding the hole until I found dry core. When I was working on the exterior in a few places I found he core was damp going above the water line and stopped. All the areas were seal off from the rest of the hull with epoxy putty.

Hey Bill,

The crazing you are noticing is probably from water trapped in the hull freezing this winter. If there is water in the hull you can do another cheap check. When the temperature is below zero can you notice frost and or condensation forming on the hull in the "wet" areas...it is the water in the hull cooling that area...I noticed this on the last boat I owned. Every spring I would notice more condensation around the areas that had water. I then knew I had a problem, tapped with the hammer and started another project.

Is this area you are concerned about around the exhaust? I was lucking on my J/30...the exhaust issue was resolved about 10 years ago so the hull below the water line is dry.

If you look at the pictures on Phantoms blog I had quite a bit od rot around the exhaust. Unfortunately it also migrate down the hull. I had crazing on the starboard quarter near the corner of the transom. I opened the area inside the cockpit locker and did the repair from there. That way I could get above the waterline and also the floor.

I used Merton fiberglass as a source for Balsa Wood.
John

John & Jason - thanks for the pointers. I'll store this info for the end of the season. I better not see freezing weather anymore until late fall, so won't be able to do the "frost check". I'm hoping to spray the bottom this weekend, weather permitting. Wet sanding and burnishing.... Soon to be launched!