Moisture Detection in 20' Sportsman

[SteveM]

Is it possible to use a moisture meter to detect moisture under the deck?

From what I can tell as well as the guys at Edwin's boatyard the foam was sealed up quite well on the two sides of the deck.
There are lots of guys out there on forums that all pull the decks and wet foam, which gives me some interest in rectifying this while I'm doing this project. IF there is a problem, which I don't know if I have.

I have read that the Baron's and Sportsman's fully wrapped their stringers in fiberglass. The Moppie's and Bahia Mar's not so.

If a moisture meter would work, I would invest in purchasing one.
If not, I suppose I could core a hole in the deck and reach down in there, but prefer not to if possible.

[Tommy]

Steve,

I had the same question when I bought the boat in 2005 down in Baton Rouge, LA. The owner had rebuilt the transom from the inside, so I asked about the foam under the deck. He said he had not encountered any soft spots and that the boat seemed to sit correctly in the water, so he did not chase an unknown. I thought about using a 4" hole saw to cut into the deck under the aft area on either side of the engine to extract any water, but since the boat floated and ran correctly, I opted out as well.

I hope Ian Upton will chime in, because he has rebuilt numerous 20 foot Bertrams.

[SteveM]

That's the same sentiment the guys at Edwin's had. They stuck their head under the deck, tapped around. Walked the deck looking for soft spots.
Their attitude was leave it alone.

[John F.]

My moppie turned into a center console was wet when I got it in 2008. I decided when I got her that I'd gut and redo her when the 1994 Yamaha o/b died. Its still going.

I looked at bahias and moppies and one sportsman and they were all wet. The foam is 1960s and absorbs water, and the deck and stringers are plywood, although I've heard the same thing about the sportsman stringers being glassed on both sides and moppies on only the inside. If I were repowering, I'd take a real close look.

[Rawleigh]

Make sure everything is sealed up tight and go with it.

[Rocket]

My Baron had wet foam, all of it and very heavy. Stringers were glass enclosed, but soft at the motor mounts so I redid the back part. I am fairly confident that most 50 year old + boats that had foam have wet foam.