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Ok here's the facts.

I've got a 17 foot whaler Ive owned it for 32 years and as many of you have experienced I've got water in my foam.
Bare hull should weight 550 pounds mine weights 720, that means about 20 gallons of water.
I do have some delaminations.
Boat is in Alaska and is always out side even in freezing conditions, which considering water expands when frozen most likely this does added damage to the foam when the freeze thaw cycle occurs.
I spoke with Whaler yesterday and they suggested I use a vacumn pump to try and get the water out of the hull, they also expressed concern over delaminations and the structural intergrity of the hull.

So considering all this here is the question.

Do I just remember all the great times I've had in this boat and put the old girl to rest or do I repair all the little imperfections that allowed this water in and not worry about the water, delaminations etc.

Really my biggest concern would be the structural interigrity of the hull, Is there any chance this boat comes apart in rough water?

Alaska water is very cold and unforgiving.

I would appreciate comments and some help in determining the final resolution to this boats future fate.

Dan

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Dan,

I would recommend the latter course of action. Repair it as best you can and enjoy the boat. It is not going to "come apart" underneath you one day, but it will get slower and slower if it allowed to gain even more weight.

Where in Alaska is the boat?

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On the Kenai Peninsula, I've run the boat all over cook inlet and Kachemak bay.

Dan

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Dan,

Which model of 17' Whaler do you own? Are you familiar with China Poot Bay?

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Certainly am. Years ago we could visit that bay during low tide and pick crab off the beach. Wow things have changed in the last 30 years.

Have you spent time there??

Dan

17 ft.bare hull I set up like a montauk.

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Yes. Thirty years ago. Literally.

I guess I imagined it is the same. How naive of me.

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So if I try and get the water out of the foam, as the manufacture suggests, has any body tried a vacumn pump attached to the bottom near the transom and let it pump for a few days??

Seems to simple to me and I wonder if it would actual remove much foam imbedded water.

Comments please.

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I have tried a vacuum pump on a wet whaler for several days. It was not effective and is not a viable technique for drying wet foam.

You may enjoy reading this (very long) account of my experimentation: Chainsaw Whaler

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Tom very interesting. One question, did you notice any delamination in the foam to fiberglass bond??

By the way I have nearly completed my whaler repair and plan to use it.

After deducting the side rails etc. I figure I've got aprox. 100 pounds of water in the foam.

What else can I do.

I am considering another boat however, 28 ft. aluminum this time. Maybe in another 30 years (if I'm real lucky) I'll know all the good and bad about aluminum boats as well.

Thanks again for the information.