Csy 44 cored + rotten decks.

[SailorAlex]

 I'm posting just to share my situation.. I am a proud owner of a 1981 csy 44. Walkover. I would be allot more proud if I had solid fiberglass decks like everyone brags about.. Well after I bought mine I found out mine did not.

 One day I happened to drill a hole in the ceiling. -  and then it started... A steady stream of smelly water pouring from my ceiling!   I drilled a few more holes around on the underside of the deck to receive more waterfalls coming out of the decks. I discovered my decks to be completely cored and saturated with water.

I'm wondering if anyone has had similar issues, and if I should just not worry about it and sail..

After that discoverey I realized the soft spots on the deck were areas with rotten core and not just flexing fiberglass

I'm just curious if anyone else had had experience with the later CSYS, and if so what are other diffences in construction and quality.

[Soggy Geek]

Hi Alex, sorry to hear that.

Do you know what your hull number is?  (should be on the starboard transom and/or on your documentation).  Some of the final production run were sold off as hulls and finished by someone else.  Our CSY 44 built in 1980 definitely had solid decks.

You can repair the soft places.  I know the Whitby 42's had problems with cored decks and there's a lot of talk on their forum(s) about how to repair.

Sherry

[SailorAlex]

Hey Sherry! My hull number is TXY442180181

I sure do love my csy! I've begun repairs to the soft spots on the deck, and they are coming along nicely!

My next job is the remove the caprail put on toe rail, get external chain plates etc, so much awesome info on this sight for those jobs.

Between the hull and deck joint on my particular pecular csy there is some type of never cure sealant that is still soft and gooey making the seal, it's definitely not adhesive like 5200.

I've heard rumors of CSYS removing caprails, glassing the deck joint and not putting on the aluminum toe rail.
My reason for wanting to do that is that the aluminum rail is not available where I am in the Caribbean. -I know stuff might roll off the afterdeck but that is a sacrifice I can make for a dry boat! So I'm wondering If anyone thought that just putting a few extra layers of glass over the hull deck joint and screws and then fairing the glass well would make it ok to sail untill I could find some aluminum toerails?
 

[Matthew Balch]

Hi Alex.  So your boat is #218.  Mine is #214, and it definitely has solid fiberglass decks. So at least up to that point, 12/1980, the decks were solid glass. According to the PO, mine was "removed" from the production facility right after it was closed down and everything being locked up, so yours was most likely finished by another entity with different methods.  It is my understanding that what followed was the Antigua 44, which had wood cored decks.

In answer to your other question, the PO of my boat did replace the forward part with the slotted aluminum rails, but he left the teak toe rail on the aft decks.  That part is still without leaks, and it looks OK, not contrasting poorly with the aluminum forward part.

Good luck with your repairs and renovations.  It's a great boat and I am having a lot of fun with mine!

[Matthew Balch]

Hi Alex, one other thought.  In addition to what Sherry said about information on how to repair cored decks, there are many threads about this on Cruisers Forum, and I have also seen articles in Good Old Boat, etc. 

I was also thinking that the gooey stuff in the joint may have been butyl rubber, which is excellent stuff, and can still be procured online and in some RV shops.  You probably don't have RV shops in the Carib, tho.
Matthew

[LittleSkipper]

Hi All,

I am new to the forum having recently purchase Contessa a 1980 CSY 44 ketch last April 17'.  We are having granny bars in stalled at the mast.  Initial pilot holes show dry foam coring.  My question is this:  If the cabin top has foam coring would the decks (side, bow, stern, ie not cabin top) also have foam coring?  I haven't had a need to drill there as yet.   hull number TXY44W0803080.

[LittleSkipper]

Hi All,  We finally finished the granny bars install back in Oct.  I can confirm Contessa 1980 CSY 44 has a solid cabin top of fiberglass near and around the salon over head hatches. The area was about 3/8 - 1/2 inch thick.  I was mistaken back in August about foam coming out when drilling pilot holes.