Drying a fibreglass hull

floatything

floatything

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Due to a blocked cockpit drain amongst other things, rainwater has got inside the hull. It was there for 2 weeks before I discovered it. I've now pumped out and mopped up but I'm worried about water in the fibreglass causing damage. I'm about to put a dehumidifier on board to help dry her out (plus a small heater as it is a bit too cold for the DH to work effeciently), but I vaguely remember someone saying that this alone won't properly dry a fibreglass hull.

Any suggestions?


Floatything Chris
 
I see your point - but the gelcoat is on the outside. I'm prolly being over cautious, but she is my joy if not my pride, and I'd hate to see bubbles appearing in the gelcoat a few months down the line for the sake of a 'stitch in time' now. There's also a lot of ply in the hull and some of that got soaked as well. Luckily the only things left on board to get damaged were the out of date flares which had to go anyway [<guilt mode on> 2 of them were dated 1991 ! <hide guilt>].

Floatything Chris
 
Take some tablets for your paranoia and relax, there is absolutely no damage done in two weeks.
Although Lescargot's comment that GRP is waterproof is not strictly true, it does absorb water over a long period - far longer than two weeks. Epoxy is 500 times more waterproof than Polyester, which is why it is used as a barrier to prevent water entering the hull layup.
 
OK all - thanks for the reassurance! I'll just dry her out and get on with preparing for Summer. I spoke too soon about the only damage being to old flares though...
the spinny was neatly stored back in the port quarter and what was once a beautiful red, white and blue is now a lovely red, PINK and blue. Suggestions for a new boat name to match the spinny?
(or any ideas to return it to its former glory).

Floatything Chris
 
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