The Big D - Delam

OK, I've been reading a lot about delamination. I am [unfortunately] intimately familiar with this on large keel boats. I've done a complete bottom repair on a Catalina 27 over the past year.

Now to the crux of the matter. I have a '84 h-16 that we picked up earlier this summer. I absolutely love this boat and we take it out every weekend. I went to check for "soft spots" on the hulls. What constitutes a soft spot? Is it a "soft spot" if you press down and find any deflection, 1/16", 1/8", 1/4", ... more? I would say my decks are overall, soft. I am now concerned.

What is the "standard" test for this?

The foam sandwich is only in the middle of the deck (generally outlined by the nonskid areas). The outer area and lip are solid glass. You should feel a similar stiffness from rail to rail. If you are able to easily press and get more than a 1/16" - 1/8" defelection, likely there is some delamination. Delamination ahead of the forward crossbar is a critical structural issue.

_________________
Matt Miller
Former - Director of Parts and Accessory Sales
Warranty and Technical Support
Hobie Cat USA
(Retired 11/7/2022)

Ooh, Thanks Matt. I don't think I like the sound of that. Now if I can get outta here (work), I can do something important, like look into this more thoroughly.