How would you fill this gap?

[gregcope]

Hi

I removed some trim to find a leak at the companion way covering the cockpit Bridge deck floor, internal ceiling and bulk head.

I found a large gap. Around 20mm in parts.

How would you fill it? Polyurethane (sika/pu40), thickened epoxy, GF, Silicon?

 

[ChromeDome]

What is the problem you want to solve?

To support the floor above?
-become air-tight?
-look better?

-or?

There appear to have bee some sort of cover, now removed?

 

[Dellquay13]

A nice bit of trim would cover that so well that unless you took it off, you would never know the gap was there…
Is the gap causing your leak? If it wasn’t causing any harm I’d cure the unrelated leak, put it back together the way it came out of the factory and go sailing.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Take the window or whatever it is out and scribe a decent fitting infill then cut the required hole for the window accurately. Fit using thickened epoxy then make a suitable cover from wood, plastic or metal that is a close fit to the window large enough to cover the join.
It was a bodged job in the first place and you are left making the best of it, short of fitting a new bulkhead I can't offhand think of anything other than the above, what's it look like on the other side?

 

[Deleted member 478]

How about filling the gap with closed cell foam, let it set, trim it and then replace the trimming that you removed?

 

[Supertramp]

I don't know what boat you have but beware of making rigid something that was designed or accidentally allows flex between moulding and bulkhead. Using a simple filler (expanding foam as per Stingo?) and cutting to fit behind the trim is a possibility. If it was built that way I would incline to leaving it properly covered. I would make sure the trim is well sealed and any water splashing in won't degrade the bulkhead.

 

[gregcope]

apologies all. There is a trim piece I have removed to investigate the water damage to the bulkhead. You can see water damage to the varnish around the bottom near the builders plate.

See below for picture of trim.

i assume, water, condensation is getting behind the trim and leaking out the bottom. The sealant there is brittle and origin

This is a starlight 35. Bowman built 1997.

 

[gregcope]

The problem I am looking to solve is to stop the water damage to the bulkhead.

I am assuming there is a leak behind that trim. Either from the screws holding the ali u channel that the companion way sits in Or condensation or water from the engine vent between the companion way deck and internal ceiling (ie the void).

The void extends above the stern cabin ceiling to stb, the heads ceiling to port and behind and stb the void leads to the cockpit locker.

The void, above the heads has an engine vent, and a trunking down to the engine. See picture.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

It's a bit clearer to me at least now, I would still favour removing the lot fabricating and grafting in a new piece with a proper tight fit. failing that then it's something like Stingo's suggestion. Terrible piece of workmanship from new for what was a quality boat.

 

[Blueboatman]

I would proceed with caution
By all means remove and rebed each s/steel screw attaching the alloy channel .
I would then shove dry mattress foam offcuts into the ‘gap’ and see after a week or a jolly good wash down if that remains dry .
Before contemplating squirting rigid foam in there.
It’s worked for 25 years

(I bet the plywood bulkhead end grain wasn’t varnish sealed btw ). Maybe a tiny mirror could look at that or a lens that you plug into your phone

 

[gregcope]

The joke amongst friends is my boat was built by an apprentice on a Friday afternoon…

I think the end grain is okay and this is just surface damage to the varnish. The bulkhead looks robust. I cannot see the end grain as it is covered by the inner moulding. The three round holes, screw holes into the inner moulding.
In a fit of leak, fixing resealed all the screws in the U-channel with sealant recently.

I am leaning towards a couple of tubes of sealant to fill the gap. Alternatively, I like the closest cell foam idea, although I would need to ensure I did not block the engine breather pole

 

[LadyInBed]

Are there any drain holes / channels in the aluminium channel?
I would refit the screws with a bedding of sealant.
Is the weather board edge just bare wood?
If so maybe a length of rubber draft excluder around it to act a a seal.

 

[eilerts]

In my head, the proper way to do it, is to find where the water gets in and stop it there, not where comes out of the structure. It does not look like a major leak, but if you just fill in the gap, you may just have created a pool. The screws and the went are good guesses, but what about water dripping from wet boots on the trim, where it can get behind it because of a poor seal, and then finding its way out at the lower seal? Do you see any sign of water on top of the inner moulding? Slide a sheet of paper with water colour inside and wait for the rain.
When you put it all together again, make a small drain hole at the lowest point of the trim a bit away from the wood, so any leak or condense can get out and drip straight down.

 

[gregcope]

Yes there are drain holes (to the outside) in the U channel although these sometimes block.

The companion way hatch has no weather board. Good idea for mk2!

 

[Ceirwan]

As said above, you need to stop the leak.
There's no point doing anything inside until you've stopped it at the source.

 

[Fantasie 19]

I am leaning towards a couple of tubes of sealant to fill the gap. Alternatively, I like the closest cell foam idea, although I would need to ensure I did not block the engine breather pole

My favourite wonder product this winter was Milliput Epoxy putty... wondrous stuff... think it would work well for what you want to do?