Damage type
Delamination in deck or hull
A deck that gives when you step on it, or a spot that sounds hollow. The laminate has come away from the core beneath it, often because water has run into the core through a screw hole or a seam. As long as it stays dry little happens, but once it freezes the damage spreads further every season.
How to recognise it
- A soft, springy patch in the deck, often around fittings or a hatch
- A hollow sound when you tap across the surface with a coin or plastic hammer
- Hairline cracks around screw holes or a seam
- Fittings working loose because the substrate beneath them is giving way
How we tackle it
- 1
Establish the boundary
Tapping out and measuring to establish how far the loose area runs. Almost always larger than what you can feel.
- 2
Open up and replace the core
The skin is opened, the wet or perished core comes out. What goes back is new core material, laid dry.
- 3
Laminate closed and finish
Laminate built up again, gelcoat in colour, and where it is a deck: the non-slip pattern brought back so it does not look like patchwork.
Frequently asked questions about delamination
How do I recognise delamination?
A soft or springy patch in the deck, and a hollow sound when you tap across it with a coin or a plastic hammer. It is often around fittings, a hatch or a screw hole where water has run into the core.
Is delamination dangerous?
In the short term, rarely. But as long as the core stays wet the area spreads, especially through frost, and on a load-bearing structure such as a deck around the mast step or the keel bolts it does become a safety question.
Can the wet core simply dry out instead of being replaced?
Rarely. Balsa and many foam cores have perished after prolonged wetting and lose their strength; drying does not bring that back. The skin has to be opened, the affected core taken out, and new, dry core material goes in.
Damage to your boat? Send a photo.
A photo and a short description are enough to assess the damage. Then you hear what is needed and get a quote to suit.