Sailing Catalpa · video

What this video covers

The crew of Catalpa performs extensive deck and hull maintenance in a boatyard to address water ingress and rot before relaunching. While investigating a soft spot on the deck, they discover that previous installers failed to oversize fastener holes and seal the core with epoxy, allowing water to saturate the balsa core around cleats and other penetrations.3:26 To repair these areas, the crew cuts out the damaged sections, removes the rot, and fills the cavities with thickened epoxy to create a solid, watertight substrate.5:44 They also replace plastic through-hull fittings for the water maker and engine intake with more durable bronze GroKo check valves to prevent future cracking and leaks.8:49 To ensure long-term integrity, they use a modified Allen key to bevel out the core around all remaining through-hull penetrations, backfilling the voids with epoxy to isolate the core from potential sealant failure.11:33 Proper sealing of all deck and hull penetrations with epoxy prevents core rot and structural degradation.

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