---

[ just looking for thoughts?]

Your perseverance in trying to do your best to refit this humble piece of Whaler history and to the fact that Girls from the South are the INN thing on this list;
I will put some of my thoughts in momentarily managing this refit from my "beach front" seating position here on the Big Island;
In the needs for repairing original parts,I have carefully separated and re attached polyester structures on numerous occasions.
My mentality toward this specific example of refit would be to do the proper thing and do what needs to be structurally done.
The water intrusion my have gotten into some of the inner sections but you must envision the whole "finished product"
In order to make this refit a reality you will have to take the path of removing the whole lower section of this sweet little tender.
I would not recommend to replace half the foam on the bottom structure.
You should be forceful in the fact that to replace ALL bottom foam will make this repair a reality.
Precisely trace the FULL extent of the LOWER deck structure
http://www.whalercentral.com/userphot...to_id=1635
From front to back and importantly giving you FLAT SURFACE left (3 inches) from the 90 some degrees angle to gunwale rise.
This, being done to give the refastening of the removed deck structure a decent point of purchase when replacing the "Lid" to the deck's bottom.
When refastening your carefully removed and repaired deck piece
http://www.whalercentral.com/showuser...oto_id=745
You will be wise to plan your refoaming using several people pouring carefully monitored quantities of liquid at the same time.
Digest this and act accordingly.
PS-I would enjoy to put a face to the name.