moisture content

[Stryker72]

I was reading a survey for a boat posted on yacht world and I came across this:

there were low moisture readings in the starboard side of the fore deck core, for several square feet, that extends aft of the forward end of the cabin. there were high moisture readings in the corre of the starboard side deck, at the aft lower chain plate and amidships life line stanchion base.

Would this make the boat undesirable? or is this a minor issue? After reading it I thought that it would be a very bad survey but the surveyor suggested

bed all of the deck hardware in these areas, with new chaulk

what is your opinion?

[NOLAsailing]

It doesn't take much to peg a moisture meter and they are most useful in conjunction with other testing methods. Did they do a percussion test? Tapping the hull or deck is a great way to find delamination/core issues.

Can you find out if anyone has drilled to determine the degree of damage?

[Gene T]

High moisture would be a concern to me but may not dissuade me from buying the boat. I would investigate further. Chainpates and stanchions should have the core sealed so any leaks do not impregnate the core. Not always done of course because problems don't show up for many years. Also the deck coring material is important. Plywood can delaminate worse faster than end grain balsa or foam.

[sailingdog]

Umm... an improperly used moisture meter doesn't really tell you anything. Some types of antifouling paints will cause it to read a higher moisture content than is actually present.

Percussion testing or sounding the hull can help tell an experienced surveyor quite a bit... but to the average sailor, not so much.

Not all boats were made with the chainplates and stanchions installed with a properly sealed core, so leaks there may lead to deck delamination and rot.

Plywood and foam cores tend to spread the delamination over a greater area, since both will wick water. End-grain balsa tends to localize the intrusion far better. Balsa and plywood will, foam generally won't. If there is any water intrusion, merely re-bedding the hardware with caulk isn't going to be sufficient IMHO.

[Sailormann]

One thing that makes a big difference in the case of the chainplates, is whether the boat has a cored hull, or a solid glass one. Personally, I would not buy a boat with a cored hull if the survey made mention of wet chainplates, but others have done it and repaired them. IT can be very expensive to repair a cored hull if rot has progressed.