TOLLY 48 SHOWER PAN IN FORWARD HEAD

[Pete Jung]

The forward head in my 78-vintage Tolly 48 is a "wet head".  Therefore, the floor forms not only the floor of the head, but acts as the shower pan as well.  It appears to be a moulded fiberglass floor, with moulded nonskid and drain grooves around the perimeter, and a drain in the inboard edge of the pan.  The floor is cored with ???, and the bottom of the core appears to be simply covered with hand laid fiberglass mat and/or cloth, and probably polyester resin, as that was the typical laminating resin of that era.  While the pan itself is in good condition, with no gelcoat cracking or crazing, it has become delaminated from the core.  When I stand in the head, it creaks and pops, and is spongy in places. The forward head has NEVER been used as a shower (the handheld shower wand and hose has never been installed), and short of water leaking out of the head somehow, it's unclear how the core could become water damaged and/or rotted.  But stranger things have happened, particularly in a 40 year old boat.  

Does anyone know the core material for this shower pan?  I'm about to take core samples from the bottom, which may tell me the material, and if it's become water saturated.  Depending on what I find, my first try at a fix will be to resin inject, from the top down, with a penetrating epoxy to (hopefully) stiffen and fill any voids in the core.  If that is unsuccessful, I may have to cut out the shower floor, replace the damaged core, and R&R the shower pan.  Obviously, WAY more work!

Anyone else had this issue to deal with?

Regards,

Pete

[Brian Edmondson]

I can't say for sure, but I would guess that it is either plywood, or end-grain balsa.  It is my understanding that Tolly used less and less wood as the years went on.  The side decks on my '83 26 Seday are end-grain balsa, which is a good material for a number of reasons, but you don't want it to get wet.  I recently discovered the balsa had rotted around my starboard fuel fitting.  I was able to dig out the bad material and inject West System 2-part epoxy.  I think it might be possible for you to inject into the laminate voids in your shower pan... maybe.

Good luck Pete.

[Pete Jung]

Well, I've answered PART of my question.  The core (not really a core, as the underside of the shower pan is NOT fiberglassed over) is marine plywood.  It appears as though the decking in the forward cabin is marine plywood.  The decking runs continuously (with some seams, obviously) from the forward cabin into the forward head.  The shower pan appears to be simply dropped onto the decking, with (possibly?  probably?) some thickened polyester resin/cabosil material, or some other adhesive used to attempt to bond the shower pan to the deck.  And it appears that this bond has now failed, letting the pan squeak and oilcan above the decking.

So resin injection is my next move.  I'll keep you posted.

Regards,

Pete

[Pete Jung]

Well, final update.  I drilled through the fiberglass pan in 9 places, about 3/8" into the plywood sub-floor.  I used WEST System Six10 thickened epoxy, and injected the epoxy in each hole in turn.  In some cases, the epoxy traveled to the adjacent hole(s), and in some others, simply filled the hole.  Let the stuff cure for about 48 hours, and all is well at this point.  Any lumps of cured epoxy were easily faired, and any dimples remaining in the holes filled and faired with WEST 105 epoxy, 206 hardener, and cabosil.  Finally, a coat of paint to hide the evidence, and all is well.

I'll report, should the repair not hold up to service.  But should be good to go.

Pete