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This afternoon I'm looking at an older (early 70's) 13' Whaler with a small 2 stroke late 80's Johnson OB. I'll have a mechanic check out the engine but my problem is how can you check the hull for water penetration without using a moisture meter. I have owned boats before but always avoided cored hulls. This whaler has a foam cored hull and is old. I used to check the decks of my previous boats for delamination by sounding with the plastic handle of a long screw driver and listening for dull sounds. That may not work with the Whaler since she is foam cored and apparently water can penetrate the foam in a wicking action through out the boat and never delaminate. A dealer told me if that happens you can never dry it out and might as well throw the boat away.
Would appreciate some tips from experienced Whaler owners about what to look for.
First you will want to make the brass thru-hulls are properly in place and free of perforations.
Next check to make sure they are sealed properly.
Finally check to make sure all of the scews going into the deck and hull are properly bedded with some caulk and there is no swelling occurring in the area around them.
I would also walk the deck with no shoes on and move around on the balls of your feet and feel for flexing of the floor.
All of that said, I would put money on that fact that you will find moisture in EVERY whaler you look at. That said it is nothing that worries me any more. If I am looking at a Whaler and all checks out I typically will have the hull floated to check where the waterline falls. If the hull seems to float well I am typically fine with the boat. There is no set flotation level for any Whaler just a well trained eye. If it looks stern heavy and there is no apparent reason for it, the hull is probably holding a bit of water.
Thanks Jeff: A very quick, complete and detailed answer to what was a difficult and complex question.
Your answer re some moisture in all whalers is the same as a surveyor will give re balsa cored decks in a sail or powerboat - the extent is what counts.
I take it as a given that you don't believe a surveyor with a water meter is worth the expense. I never bought a "big" boat without a thorough survey but at 13' a surveyor seems like an overkill. I wouldn't even think of it it the hull were solid glass.
One final question - is it worth sounding the hull and deck given the nature of foam?
