Posted: December 05 2006 at 18:40 | IP Logged

Hello to all

I am wondering if anyone perhaps can give me some assistance here.  I have a 1988 3607 Aft cabin Carver and plan to put 2 new through hulls in this spring.  One will be just to the side of the keel near the engines and one will be forward above the water line.  Yep, I'm getting reverse heat air and want to do this work myself.

The big question I have is, When the hull is laid up by Carver, do they use solid glass OR do they use a core filler like balsa.  If the latter, I would like to plan on digging some core out around the holes and re-filling with thickened epoxy, let it set and then drill hole again.

I can't find a definate answer anywhere and thought one of you folks might have the experience.  Me, I am a rookie at through hulls.

Thanks in advance

Bob

Posted: December 05 2006 at 19:16 | IP Logged

Hi Bob,

As best as I've been able to determine Carver used balsa coring until just recently.

I recently read an approach on this Carver forum; http://carvermitch.forumco.com/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=6

but I can't find the thread.  If you post your question there, you can be pretty sure of some help.  Basically the idea was - drill a hole somewhat larger than needed for your fitting.  Glass it in and then drill a smaller hole for your fitting.  It sounded like a good idea to me.

Posted: December 05 2006 at 20:15 | IP Logged

Seems like I remember that Carver does not use any balsa below the waterline.  So you won't probably hit balsa on the lower thru-hull but might with the above waterline thru-hull.

You are doing the right thing by taking time to seal the balsa core.

While not on a Carver, I installed air conditioning myself on my last boat.  I have a synopsis of it on line if you wish to look at it.

http://members.toast.net/boatguy/projects.htm

You will access my projects page, which incidentally does have some projects that I competed on my Carver.  Anyway, look at the Four Winns Vista 268 section and you will see a project for air conditioning.