Bryan about to mix up the balsa replacement

Nice haircut, did you use the #10 bowl?

Port Dead Light - Starting the Fill

Balsa core damp and rotten. So Bryan dug it out using a unkinked wire coat hanger. Let the good balsa dry out. Then used a 2 part rubber compound originally purchased for the mast partners, but got twice as much as ordered (good thing!). Poured nicely into voids. Here you can see the tea coloured compound between the outer fiberglass and inside glass and plywood interior cabin sides.

After the 2nd Pour

1st one was for the bottom of the port. 2nd one was for the top and sides so needed a dam, used duct tape with stir stick spanners as reinforcement, to keep the bulge to a minimum. Compound kicked off in a few minutes and we could see the results.

Plastic and Tarps

to keep the rain and no se'ems out.

Bondo

To help give a nice finish.

Replaced Balsa

Starboard Dead Light

with baggy plastic to give working room.

Getting the Old Sealant Adhesive Off.

You can see the missing balsa.

After First Fill

Markers show voids.

Success!

Not only was the leak stopped, balsa replaced, the cut out got a nice finish, dead light bedded with butyl tape with bedded counter sunks for the machine screw heads, the cupboard was refinished too.

A Couple More

Heavy Rain shows minor leaks in starboard salon forward and middle deadlights Marina Carenero, Panamá March 2016