Using alcohol to remove moisture from balsa core

[JonnyBoats]

At http://www.boatus.com/goodoldboat/stanchion.htm the author succests:

Flood the area with denatured alcohol. The alcohol will absorb the moisture and when the alcohol evaporates, the moisture will evaporate with it

I have never see this suggested anywhere else. Has anyone tried this technique to remove moisture from otherwise sound balsa core in decks?

[bcooke]

I have heard of it but have never had the opportunity to try it. Every wet patch I have found has had a bit of rot associated with it somewhere with a little digging.

I think I have heard of flushing with acetone to achieve the same thing. The evaporating solvent takes the moisture out with it. I have a few scraps of balsa so I might just make a test one of these days.

-Britton

[Tim]

My opinion on that technique (I have also heard of using acetone for the same purpose) is that it is a half-baked idea intended to save doing the actual work that should be done.

While the general concept of the technique is valid and probably works in some cases, the way I look at it is this: minor moisture of the amount that could possibly be "removed" by the above method is of such minimal consequence to the structure that it might as well be completely ignored.

Any cores containing more substantial moisture would not be properly repaired by doing this technique, and require more invasive repair techniques. Very wet cores almost always bring debonding or core rot along with them, and should be removed and replaced.

There are too many articles out there that discuss one technique or another that was employed by the author not because it was the right way to do the job, but because it was cheap and easy. Is everyone always looking for the quickest, cheapest, and laziest way out of a bind? What about actually doing a quality repair that lasts and actually improve the boat?

[bcooke]

Is everyone always looking for the quickest, cheapest, and laziest way out of a bind?

Uhhh.... yeah.

Just kidding. I actually like the pain and suffering that comes with a full recore. It certainly isn't the money (since I don't pay myself) or the tons of value added to my boat that excites me (the boat's value increases only a fraction of what it costs to do the repair).

If it works I am all for it BUT... everytime I have found wet core that needs something done (thankfully quite little of it), like Tim, I have found that more than wet core is at issue. Debonding or rot is always closely associated with wet core in my very limited experience. I like the easy way if it will do the job right the first time. If you have to revisit the repair again later then it really isn't the "cheap and easy" way to begin with. My theory is that an extensive, proper, and thorough repair really is the quickest, cheapest and laziest way out in the long run.

-Britton

[Jason K]

Inspired by the esteemed Don Casey, I tried the acetone trick at the suggestion of one of his books. I was not disappointed. I went in expecting the acetone to do nothing at all. My expectations were met and all I had was a hot morning, a wet core, and highly flammable acetone coursing through my decks.

Which brings up another suggestion. Why don't you ignite the acetone? It might just flash off and take the moisture with it. Of course, you may want to try it in an inconspicous spot - like at night, in another marina, and on some yahoo's bass boat. Sometimes I'm so brilliant it's scary.

[jhenson]

Jason,

I like that idea very much! I think I need to pick up some insurance though before I do this. Anyone want some non-flamable Triton parts?

Joe