Question on Parker 2520 deck construction??

[fighterpilot]

I am told that starting in 1991 or 1992 Parker started coating the underdeck wood members with resin, since the earlier models weren't holding up to well in moist climates.
Did they eventually enclose that wood structure with fiberglass and if so what year would that have been for the 2520? Thanks

 

[Ludicrous40]

Just this weekend I was resealing the deck access hole for the fuel tank, and was surprised to notice that there is exposed wood on top of the fuel tank. I have a 2003 2520XL.

 

[DaleH]

Just this weekend I was resealing the deck access hole for the fuel tank, and was surprised to notice that there is exposed wood on top of the fuel tank. I have a 2003 2520XL.

On top, huh? you mean 'lying on top' like it fell from above?

Keep in mind guys ... even if/when the bottom of the cockpit floor was sealed with polyester resin with glass fiber, and then (maybe?) gelcoat (maybe not) ... after Parker puts the floor in place, they drill 1" holes in a few spots for each boxed stringer cavity and fill that cavity with foam.

I had a spot or two "wet spot" (but not rotted and soft) where I cut it out, dried it out, and filled them with epoxy resin/fiber.

 

[Ludicrous40]

Dale,

I'll take a picture or two, and post them.

It looks like pressure treated strips (~2"x2") that run the long way on top of the tank....for deck support?? I can see the same on both sides of the fuel sending unit access hole.

 

[DaleH]

It looks like pressure treated strips (~2"x2") that run the long way on top of the tank....for deck support??

I'd be concerned if they touched the tank, as I'm not sure how the preservative used to treat the wood would fair with the aluminum tank.

I know that some Lund tin boats suffered rotted transoms in the 90s do to a change in their wood preservative that literally ate holes in the hull ...

 

[Ludicrous40]

If I can't make a determination, I'll call Parker, they'll know what I've got in there.

 

[fighterpilot]

Dismayed to find it still exposed in a 2003 model. I found the same structure on a 1998 I recently looked at. When looking at a boat, I put a camera down in the holes with the access plates removed and take pictures. In this case the cross member wasn't touching the tank. It appeared to be in fine shape, but the boat had been kept in a barn all of its life by the original owner and had been used very little, that is actually in the water or exposed to the elements. A 1989 boat showed rotten wood. Another 1997 I looked had soft deck in two places, each about 3 by 4 feet. I have found a number of early models where the ad indicates they have rebuilt the deck. It appears that the open wood is common to the 2520.

 

[DaleH]

Dismayed to find it still exposed in a 2003 model.
It appears that the open wood is common to the 2520.

One needs to do a more careful apples-to-oranges comparison here, as open "pressure treated" wood is certainly significantly different than concerns surrounding "open wood".

Wood as a coring material on a well made boat is still tough to beat! In fact, there's no one foam or other synthetic product yet that has replaced it wholesale. Some boats with foam in the stringers, as a coring mateiral, have fallen apart as the core can't take the stress and compressive loads like wood can absorb, where wood is both tough and flexible.
To me, on wood cored boats, it is how well the owner(s) take care of it and/or assemble new components to it or through it that will forecast just how well the boat ages.

I once had a '79 Pro-Line where the underside of the deck was just your typical plywood, not sealed with anything! We had it for 19 of it's 26 years in age (when we sold it, I bought my Parker) and the cockppit deck was sound with ZERO soft spots, only because we took care of that boat. No rot anywhere on it! The bilge was also kept or sponged dry and the bilge deck plates (under the canvas top) were always left open to let the boat breathe and vent the bilge.

I've seen soft floors on all brands of boats and if you recall, transoms were falling off 20-year old Grady Whites. But those boats had an inherent design flaw in the top cap to the open/notch transom that allowed water ingestion after a number of years.

 

[fighterpilot]

Agree, that care of the boat is important. I was aware of the Grady Whites transom issue when I was looking at them 4 years ago. Parker now seems to be one that has somewhat of a reputation for wood concern, especially in their older boats. I eventually bought a Hydra Sport 4 years ago and haven't really heard much about any wood problems with them. Just saying, some boats have a little more history in this area than others. I still want a Parker but it is becoming apparent to me I need to pay attention to the deck area. Haven't heard any horror stories about the hull but the deck needs careful scrutiny.

One I looked at had a significant list to starboard, more so than would seem caused by the rigging and an empty bait well. From the posts here I gather they injected foam down into some of the cavities of the Parker. Know form can get waterlogged, any history of that happening to the Parker 2520 family? Are there open areas down in the haul that could pick up water and trap it that would also cause a list.

Appreciate the benefit of the wisdom of all you Parker owners. I hope to be one some day. Thanks