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    RL24, RL28, and RL34 Trailable Yachts
    from Rob Legg Yachts

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    Advice on repairing RL24 cockpit sole
    I am a newbie, so hope this is correct use of this forum. Have just purchased RL24 No 198. Think it was built in 1977 or 78 (SK mark 2). It has original tapered mast and outboard well.
    It has some delamination in the cockpit floor. The sponginess is restricted to the port side rear ( approx 30cm by 60cm) of cockpit floor and many fine cracks. It also has some crackles/creaking and gelcoat cracking in cockpit sole aft of cabin gangway though sounds solid and is firm here and elsewhere. How serious is this problem? Any suggestions on a fix? I have read about a method of drilling holes in outer layer of delaminate and syringing epoxy in after drying core. Anyone had luck with this method? Was balsa used as core in RL cockpit floors? This aside, I think she is a sound boat for her age. Looking forward to a first sail after some maintenance is sorted.
    Any advice appreciated. Regards Ron
    Ron Kerr11-Jan-2009    Edit    Delete 
    Re: Advice on repairing RL24 cockpit sole
    Ron.
    Around the time your boat was built the core material in the cockpit floor was changed from plywood, to a plastic product not unlike the shape of egg cartons this gave a deeper section and hence greater rigidity. If you look underneith and the surface is reasonably flat then you have a plywood core. if the under surface is a series of bumps and hollows then you have the plastic form core.
    Please advise me as to which you have and I can give you advice from there. Balsa or foam materials were not commenly used untill the 80s
    Rob11-Jan-2009    Edit    Delete 
    Re: Advice on repairing RL24 cockpit sole
    Hi Rob
    Looking under the deck, it has an appearance not dissimilar to an egg carton, so would suggest that a plastic core was used.
    Regards
    Ron
    Ron Kerr12-Jan-2009    Edit    Delete 
    Re: Advice on repairing RL24 cockpit sole
    Ron.
    Pouring foam should solve your problem. Calculate where the hollows are and mark where they are on top. drill a 10mm hole about 15 cm from the corner where the soft part starts, and another hole three hollows away. Mask up around the holes and cover the floor of the hull with paper in case of any leakages underneath.
    You will need some small plastic funnels, a small pack of pouring foam, and several corks or plugs.
    Before you start try a small sample mix, to get the feel of the foam, you must mix it very quickly and thoroughly. You will find that the foam will adhere to anything that it touches and is very difficult to clean up any spills.
    Mix up about 100 grams to start with and see if it will spread from the first hole to the second hole,and you will need to plug the hole that you poured through. Continue on till you have covered the part that needs doing. You will find that the part that has been treated becomes quite rigid, and what you have done is just the reverse process to making foam core laminate.
    The holes can be filled later and painted over.
    Rob.12-Jan-2009    Edit    Delete 

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