Pulpit rebedding

[MangoCats]

I suppose this is a lot like stanchion rebedding, but... I have a 303 and there is a substantial amount of rainwater that makes its way from the deck into the shelves in the V-berth... I guess previous owners ignored it because it mostly heads down to the bilge, but it does get anything stored on the shelves wet and of course makes it (more) damp inside...

Any hints from those experienced in doing rebedding projects?  Is 4000 caulk sufficient, or should I be thinking about sealing with epoxy and re-drilling?

[selene]

Opinions vary. Personally my preferred bedding compound is butyl tape, as it allows some movement without breaking the seal.

In a case like yours, I would be worried about water penetration into the core.  So I would allow it to thoroughly dry, and the epoxy and redrill.  If you know somebody who has a moisture meter, it may be worth checking to see if you already have a core issues.

Regardless, countersink the holes before rebedding.  That'll give you a bit of extra protection against further leaks - like an inbuilt o-ring.

Good luck!   

[MangoCats]

Thanks, I'm kind of afraid of all the applications I will find for epoxy once I start mixing it on-board.

First things first, I've barely got the major leak in the opening port gasket under control - but I believe the bow pulpit connections are the next source of annoying rain intrusion that needs addressing...

On the topic of exposed deck core: previous owner cut a 4" hole for a vent in the bathroom ceiling and then caulked a trim piece in a way that was holding water against the exposed core... at the moment I just have the trim piece removed so water that comes in the air-scoop just drips onto the head/shower pan.  The exposed core seems very solid, but it is nagging at me to give it a proper sealing job before putting back any cosmetic trim.  Did Pearson somehow infuse their end-grain balsa layer when they did the deck layups?

[selene]

AFAIK, sealing exposed core is unusual for boat builders. Most just drill/cut and ignore it; the premium builders "pot" all holes with epoxy and countersink the holes. Pearsons have above average construction, but they were not a premium builder!

I have come across some builders using solid epoxy blocks in areas where the hardware is mounted, but that is rare. Pearsons sometimes had marine ply in areas where extra strength is required.

Personally I used a dremel with a router bit to cut out ~1/8" of core, while leaving the top and bottom fiberglass "skin" intact, and fill that space - firstly with plain epoxy to penetrate the wood; then with a thickened epoxy to fill the space.

You will indeed find many applications for epoxy...but the good news is that it is easy to handle. Remember to add fillers where appropriate - nothing (for penetration), carbosil as the thickener - prevents sags/drips - various grades of chopped fiber for strength.