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I switched from an underseat gas tank to a standard gas tank and it looks like a bolt was stuck between the tank and the deck, causing a pretty nice hole in the deck of my boat. Well I dont know how long its been since this happened but now parts of my deck are soft. How can I fix this and stop further damage?

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One way to approach the problem is to take a screwdriver handle and tap around the area until you get a solid sound instead of a thump. Then draw a line around the weak sounding area. Drill some small holes 3/16 just inside the line. Check the core. If wet or very spongy you will have to do a lot more work. It the skin is just pulled away and core is dry you can inject epoxy into the holes and the weight it down and all should be good.

This is just a snap shot of what to do.

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And if its wet?

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If it is wet, the best thing to do is enjoy the boat for the summer and then get ready to tear up the deck this fall and do the job right. It would take a long time for the wood to dry out when there is very little circulation and you don't know where the intrusion is coming from.

Pick up the book: Sail Boat Hull and Deck Repair, by Don Casey. It has a lot of good information, and does tell you how to fix leaks and etc. Don't let the title throw you...his explanations and drawings apply to all boats. I have used his expertise on my current restoration and have found it invaluable.

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Question; If I wanted to fill the holes now to keep any more water from getting in so it doesnt get worse than it is....what can I do to air out the foam? I was thinking about doing the old get water out of the ground in the desert trick. Could I put a tarp across the top of my boat with a rock in the middle with a cup underneath, and see if out evaporates out?

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Man vs. Wild vs. Whaler...I kind of like it.

The Discovery Channel could do an entire series on all the tricks and techniques the WC members have come up with while working on their boats.

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Hi!, to dry out the area, use the 'wick' methode. Take a piece of paper and roll it to fit the hole and stick it in far enough to collect any water and leave some of the paper out in the open air to draw the water out. To just plug the hole till "winter" use 3m 4200 fast cure. I don't think that there is any wood in the deck area on a 13 foot, just in certain areas for railings and in the inside where the thwart seat hold down boards are screwd to the boat itself, and in the transome area. Good luck!!

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There is one more piece of wood located in the area where the original console mounts to the floor.

Look in the download section for 13ft wood location. There is a schematic that give measurements.