Super Jet Wet Foam, fix now or wait?

[swapmeet]

Ok, I JUST got a bare RN hull from a member, and after weighing it, I dug (drilled) a little further and my suspicions were realized... It has water in the foam. I'm really excited to get it on the water, and this weekend I'll have pretty much everything to put it together.
Ive heard/ read about how big of a PITA defoaming is, so I'm reluctant to go hacking away. I have most of the materials to do the job, I can go buy the polystyerene, and I'm not scared of the job itself, it just a time thing. I want to get on the water!

Should I just leave it till winter and ride now and deal with a heavy hull? Or just deal with the foam now and wait another.... Week? Two weeks to get on the water? I only have about an hour a day to give it during the week. And more time on the weekend. What's worse is that I know I'll want to redo the footholds, shorten the rear etc while I'm in there lol....

Anyway, what do ya'll think?

 

[jetx]

Just ride it. Defoam in the winter.

 

[element3488]

^ x2 im doing the same. pretty positive my foam is logged but ill cut it up this winter for now just ride.

 

[mxmark4]

Ride it

 

[Freakrider]

I'm pretty sure wydopen and 227 would say that a heavier hull handles better anyways...

 

[93rx7]

I'm in a similar boat.. I'm waiting till the off season.

 

[swapmeet]

I'm suprised at the responses, I honestly thought ya'll would say fix it now while its an empty hull etc...

Hmm..

 

[DarkWater]

I'm suprised at the responses, I honestly thought ya'll would say fix it now while its an empty hull etc...

Hmm..

I'd fix it asap. It'd be different if it was rtr.
Just do the proper planning, make sure you have all the materials, maybe call a buddy or 2 and go to town on in.
Your repair should be covered in turf anyway. So glass, prime, turf, build, ride.

 

[swapmeet]

Thanks, I was just checking out your build.

 

[BruceSki]

Waste of time. Mine is just as heavy as wet foam now after five minutes of riding anyway. You'll never get it properly resealed and if you go big in the surf you will start cracking things unless you reinforce the rear half of the ski at the same time.

Wish I never opened mine up on my RN. After a good 2 hour riding session I have about a gallon of water in the tray.

EDIT: I would recommend polystyrene and pour foam combined if you are going to open it up. And the only reason to open it up is: building a wider/lower tray, shortening he hull, installing a scupper.

 

[Freakrider]

a wire cup wheel on a die grinder or drill and pressure washer to blast foam helps

 

[DarkWater]

I wouldn't say its a waist of time. Your right tho, its going to happen, so install water resistant foam and a drain plug on each side.
Polystyrene is water resistant.
Also cap the 2 holes in the bulk head while your at it.

 

[swapmeet]

I don't ride surf, so the potential damage would be less.
If I did open it up, i would do all those things while I was there.
Shorten the rear, wide tray, lower tray, improve existing footholds, lower the exhaust hose etc.
And I defintely would use the polystyerene to replace the existing foam.

I bought these plugs to cap off the holes I drilled to let any available water out and confirm there was water in the hull.


Not the sexiest thing ever but I think they'll work fine.

 

[Big Kahuna]

you can have it done in 3 days.

Day 1. Cut out tray and sides. Remove foam.
Day 2. (you may can get refoamed the same day on day 1). Foam, let dry, sand smooth. Glue tray back in and start glassing.
Day 3. Foam any additional areas (Foothoods and sides), glass over holes drilled to refoam.

Turf. and finish build.

 

[DarkWater]

I don't ride surf, so the potential damage would be less.
If I did open it up, i would do all those things while I was there.
Shorten the rear, wide tray, lower tray, improve existing footholds, lower the exhaust hose etc.
And I defintely would use the polystyerene to replace the existing foam.

I bought these plugs to cap off the holes I drilled to let any available water out and confirm there was water in the hull.
View attachment 185202

Not the sexiest thing ever but I think they'll work fine.

Those plugs work, they make a threaded plug that i feel more confident in.

Shortening the hull is a bit more work, its gonna need to repainted.

Lowering the tray requires moving the aluminum exhaust tube.
If your doing all that work it will take a few weekends..

 

['kotajoe]

Just ride it this summer and do all the work to it next winter, its a lot of work to defoam and there is no sense in doing the work twice in one year.

 

[MileHighJSC]

I don't ride surf, so the potential damage would be less.
If I did open it up, i would do all those things while I was there.
Shorten the rear, wide tray, lower tray, improve existing footholds, lower the exhaust hose etc.
And I defintely would use the polystyerene to replace the existing foam.

I bought these plugs to cap off the holes I drilled to let any available water out and confirm there was water in the hull.
View attachment 185202

Not the sexiest thing ever but I think they'll work fine.

How much does your hull weigh? How water logged is it? If you are not experienced with fiberglass all the mods you are wanting to do will take a lot of work and much time to get done right. And if it is not done right then it will take on water right away. Since all skis are partially submerged when being ridden water is being forced in to every pin hole at .44 psi for every foot of water above the pin holes. Plus any pin hole exposed the the hydraulic effect of seen water speed.

 

[PWCSAR]

I am in the same Boat!!! Mine is wet also? Runs fine.. I am just going to drain and ride til season is done or I blow the motor!!! It's ass heavy but atleast I am on the water instead of in the garage.. If I am doing surgery I will take my time and do it right over the winter. F it, I am goin riding.. I'll also build the motor over the winter. Build thread to come... But to do it right will take me more time than is left this season... Run what ya brung!!!

 

[hbski]

.......Wish I never opened mine up on my RN. After a good 2 hour riding session I have about a gallon of water in the tray.......

And a gallon of water only weighs about 8lbs, so if a superjet weighs 300lbs, is 308lbs going to be that noticeable????

What's the most that anyone has ever drained from a tray? I couldn't see there being more than a couple of gallons in there even if you left the ski submerged for some time. Even with waterlogged foam, that the foam is occupying some volume in there.

cheers,
DJ