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3000 Express Side Vent Core Repair

Anything related to the operation of your boat that doesn't fit another forum category. Steering, Bilge Pumps, thru-hulls, bottom paint, etc.

Woodworker2001
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3000 Express Side Vent Core Repair

Postby Woodworker2001 » Thu May 28, 2020 8:04 pm

Nice work!


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DiverDux
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3000 Express Side Vent Core Repair

Postby DiverDux » Sun May 31, 2020 11:58 pm

Thanks WW2001-
We are pleased with the results.
Ed
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Woodworker2001 (Mon Jun 01, 2020 7:53 am)

“Only the mountain has lived long enough to listen objectively to the howl of the wolf.”
― Aldo Leopold

Woodworker2001
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3000 Express Side Vent Core Repair

Postby Woodworker2001 » Mon Nov 02, 2020 2:49 pm

DiverDux wrote:Source of the post Finished the project yesterday. went down and cleaned it up today. I am happy with the results.

I filled the void where the wood was rotted with G/flex. I thickened the epoxy with 404. Worked like a charm. I know I mentioned using a polyester resin, but like most anything i do, things change as the project moves forward. I installed the vent cover with 4200 and cleaned the edge with acetone. I put a finish caulk seal around the edge with 4000 UV.
It isn't pretty, but it is solid and sealed up tight. Water will no longer be an issue with the vents.

A few photos...


How were you able to get the thickened epoxy to stay in the sides and top of the opening? Is that just a matter of proper thickening consistency? Or did you do something else to keep it from sagging out?

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DiverDux
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3000 Express Side Vent Core Repair

Postby DiverDux » Mon Nov 02, 2020 7:10 pm

Hi WW2001-
Just thickened it till it was like paste and packed it in bit by bit.
DD
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Woodworker2001 (Mon Nov 02, 2020 8:55 pm)

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Woodworker2001
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3000 Express Side Vent Core Repair

Postby Woodworker2001 » Mon Jan 11, 2021 8:30 am

Diver, looks like my moisture is quite a bit worse then yours was. Survey sounded solid but showed elevated moisture. I dug back in about 6” front and back. Gotten most everything I can get out out. Still wet. Trying to dry with some heat from halogen work lamp.

Do you think a process like yours will work for packing it back in that deep and keeping any voids from being left behind.

Did you just lay a very large bead of life caulk around the inner lip probably 1/2” thick or so to take up the gap?

David B (Boston)
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3000 Express Side Vent Core Repair

Postby David B (Boston) » Tue May 24, 2022 12:58 pm

Hi guys,
sorry to open a old thread. The bottom of my port side vent cracked off this past weekend while out on the water, exposing the core. quick inspection - its wet but not sure if that's from the most recent outing or wet for a long period of time. Is this repair something I can do in the slip or should I wait until I haul out in the fall? If it can wait, I was thinking of putting some type of tape along the exposed area to try and keep the water out as much as possible. Does that make sense? thanks!

Dan1
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3000 Express Side Vent Core Repair

Postby Dan1 » Wed May 25, 2022 6:46 am

David,
If it cracked off its probably been loose for some time allowing water in between the inner/outer hull, the other side is probably the same.It's a serious issue as the inner core is balsa and it turns to mush when exposed to water. Without it the hull loses its structural integrity, it was a big issue with the expresse’s.

Unless you can get the entire vent off I highly doubt you will get it sealed running tape over the affected area.

If this where mine I would spend the time removing the vent and cover the entire vent hole with a thin sheet of plastic/acrylic siliconed and fastened to the hull as a temporary solution to allow the area to dry.

Getting the water out of the hull cavity is critical and will take time, the bottom of the boat is solid glass up to about the level of the top of the exhaust outlet tapering down to about 1' below the large through hull that drains the air intake box, from there up to the vent it is balsa sandwiched between the inner/outer hulls, you would need to drill a 1’ hole through the inner hull down low and let it drain over time.

All easier said than done given the access you have but it is doable.

The vent itself is not available from Pursuit but they are easy to repair, Raybo marine in NY has molds for them if you have to replace them.

This isn't a cosmetic repair… its structural and critical it’s attended to ASAP.

David B (Boston)
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3000 Express Side Vent Core Repair

Postby David B (Boston) » Wed May 25, 2022 11:07 am

Thanks for the informative and detailed post! I have some questions. Covering the vent hole with plastic - will that allow the area to dry? I can see it heating up in the sun and moisture evaporating but not going anywhere. Reading your description of how far up the solid glass goes and I'm trying to figure out how far down the balsa goes here at my desk without actually looking at the boat. How far down from the bottom of the side vent? Looking the pictures earlier in the thread, is the thickened epoxy added only to the bottom of the vent or all around? I looks like just the bottom. Not sure if gravity will make the thickened epoxy will ooze out and how to keep it from doing that. I'm assuming anywhere the core is rotted and ideally all around. I would be doing this repair in my slip and don't want to pollute the water.

Dan1 wrote:Source of the postyou would need to drill a 1’ hole through the inner hull down low and let it drain over time.

Do you mean a one inch hole or a one foot hole? Are you saying drill a hole from inside the boat through the first layer of fiberglass only and let gravity drain it? I'm not sure where to accurately drill a hole like that. I was thinking of using a shop vac to get most of the moisture out.

Appreciate your help and thoughts.

Woodworker2001
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3000 Express Side Vent Core Repair

Postby Woodworker2001 » Wed May 25, 2022 1:05 pm

Where the hull has the step in it is as far down as you can get epoxy. I dug out all the wet core I could. Poured unthickened epoxy in the bottom and let run down in as far as I could then used thicko in a tube. Expensive but stayed in place in vertical areas. I did let mine dry in heated storage for 3 months with a hologram work lamp on the area everyday I could work on the boat. Not the perfect repair but pulling the inside skin off and re coring was not an option at the time.

No easy repair to get it dried out in your slip and it as stated earlier a know and issue in about 95% or better of the expresses

Dan1
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3000 Express Side Vent Core Repair

Postby Dan1 » Thu May 26, 2022 6:36 am

David B (Boston) wrote:Source of the post Covering the vent hole with plastic - will that allow the area to dry?

Covering it with plastic will stop anymore water getting in, as Woodworker described you can only reach down into the cavity about as far as the hull step in below the air vent but water can go straight past that and get trapped below, a shop vac isn't going to get it out.
David B (Boston) wrote:Source of the post Reading your description of how far up the solid glass goes and I'm trying to figure out how far down the balsa goes here at my desk without actually looking at the boat. How far down from the bottom of the side vent?.

Picture a line from about the top of the exhaust outlet at the stern to just under the large through hull that drains the air-box, anything above that is balsa cored.
David B (Boston) wrote:Source of the post
Do you mean a one inch hole or a one foot hole? .

One inch
David B (Boston) wrote:Source of the post Are you saying drill a hole from inside the boat through the first layer of fiberglass only and let gravity drain it?

Yes
David B (Boston) wrote:Source of the post I'm not sure where to accurately drill a hole like that.

As close as possible to where the solid glass ends and the balsa starts, it will take a long time for the water to find its way out.

For now you could remove a couple of the screws from the white plate that holds the bonding system wires terminal block on the drivers side behind the fresh water holding tank, poke a bit of wire into the holes and see if any water comes out.

White plastic plate with four screws into the side of the boat, brass terminal block with a bunch of thick green wires attached to it.

I’m not at home but I do have a a few core samples I took from my boat years ago, I will post some pics when I get home so you can get a better idea of what your dealing with.

If you're concerned about running the boat with the air vent blocked off don't be, both my vents where permanently sealed years ago without any affect to my diesels.

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