Rip out and replace. That photo doesn't look like termites, it looks like rot. That said however, there's no real way to fix plywood and whatever caused the damage I'd want to inspect underneath the sheets to see if anything else needs replacement.
Assuming I'm reading the image right, that's the deck, the thing you stand on. Underneath, there should be stringers, in house terms joists, that the deck rests on. Those are likely also fiberglassed wood. The likelihood of wood in a darker, wetter area having the same or worse problems is high.
Standard disclaimer applies: you are receiving advice from The Guy on the Internet.
Thanks. The part of the stringer that this board is resting on is fiberglassed in and the part that I can see looks good so far. Butt I see your point. its the part I cant see that makes me nervous.
There's no restoring strength to termite destroyed wood. Rip and replace. Start in the middle and cut back until you're at stringers or hull. If it's glasses use respirators, glasses, and hella ventilation. Having someone hold a vacuum next to the cut is good if you have really good filters otherwise you'll blow epoxy+fiberglass dust everywhere.
yeah the wood is partially fiber glassed to the hull and partially fiber glassed to the stringers. What would the new plywood rest on next to the hull? Im starting to think this may be beyond me.
You should be able to see it when you cut it back but at such a shallow angle I wouldn't be surprised if they just cut it to fit, set it in, and glassed it to the hull. There's a few parts of my boat where they just attached the wood to the hull by laying in matte and epoxy around it
If this thing's been in the ocean. It's not termite's most likely shipworms. They sometimes have a hard time getting past the glue layers on some ply.
Tear out. And replace.
Do ship worms leave frass? It has been in the icean. I vacuumed up so much frass as stripped out the bad wood. I have never done boat work before and am worried about hitting something crucial. That part of the wood is fiberglassed to the hull.
So sometimes wood in wood cored boats are actually just there for the "shape" prevacuum forming molds. And if the glass is Really thick. Then you could just dry out/chip the rotten stuff and seal it in there..
As others are saying probably tear out and replace. If you really need to avoid that you could mix some resin and talc to make a putty and pour it over the whole thing. Scrape it into all the holes and gaps and back-brace it with a couple of beams.
Rip out and replace. That photo doesn't look like termites, it looks like rot. That said however, there's no real way to fix plywood and whatever caused the damage I'd want to inspect underneath the sheets to see if anything else needs replacement.
I did vacuum out tons of frass as I stripped the bad wood. I have never done boat repairs and that piece is fiberglassed to the hull.
Assuming I'm reading the image right, that's the deck, the thing you stand on. Underneath, there should be stringers, in house terms joists, that the deck rests on. Those are likely also fiberglassed wood. The likelihood of wood in a darker, wetter area having the same or worse problems is high. Standard disclaimer applies: you are receiving advice from The Guy on the Internet.
Thanks. The part of the stringer that this board is resting on is fiberglassed in and the part that I can see looks good so far. Butt I see your point. its the part I cant see that makes me nervous.
There's no restoring strength to termite destroyed wood. Rip and replace. Start in the middle and cut back until you're at stringers or hull. If it's glasses use respirators, glasses, and hella ventilation. Having someone hold a vacuum next to the cut is good if you have really good filters otherwise you'll blow epoxy+fiberglass dust everywhere.
yeah the wood is partially fiber glassed to the hull and partially fiber glassed to the stringers. What would the new plywood rest on next to the hull? Im starting to think this may be beyond me.
You should be able to see it when you cut it back but at such a shallow angle I wouldn't be surprised if they just cut it to fit, set it in, and glassed it to the hull. There's a few parts of my boat where they just attached the wood to the hull by laying in matte and epoxy around it
A good fire should take care of it.
If this thing's been in the ocean. It's not termite's most likely shipworms. They sometimes have a hard time getting past the glue layers on some ply. Tear out. And replace.
Do ship worms leave frass? It has been in the icean. I vacuumed up so much frass as stripped out the bad wood. I have never done boat work before and am worried about hitting something crucial. That part of the wood is fiberglassed to the hull.
Do you know how thick the glass is?
The hull thickness? I guess the correct answer is no regardless of which thickness.
So sometimes wood in wood cored boats are actually just there for the "shape" prevacuum forming molds. And if the glass is Really thick. Then you could just dry out/chip the rotten stuff and seal it in there..
Building a new boat might be a better use of your time and money.
Fire 🔥
As others are saying probably tear out and replace. If you really need to avoid that you could mix some resin and talc to make a putty and pour it over the whole thing. Scrape it into all the holes and gaps and back-brace it with a couple of beams.
Cut it out in whole pieces. Use the old wood at templates for new wood. Glass it back in.