350 Mariner engine deck plates

[650Guy]

Hey all

Anyone know if the deck plates on the back cockpit area of a 350 Mariner are solid fiberglass or are they wood core?

[650Guy]

Sorry, should’ve added, it’s a 2001 350 mariner

[bud37]

Cored.....why do you ask....

[650Guy]

Just had a survey done on my boat, and probably had the worst experience ever! The guy knew nothing about my boat. Long story short, He is saying they are all wet based on his meter. Yet pass the tap test fine. There are no soft spots, no weak area's and say they are solid, just read high for moisture. This boat was surveyed in 17 and the surveyor then told me that the design allowed water to wick into the insulation underneath and the meters sometimes would pick that water up, the only good way to see if they were sound was to tap them out. So this made me think, I wonder if they are even cored? Based on all the other things that he DIDN'T know how to use on the boat (and I won't even bore you with that), really makes me question his findings on anything else...

The boat has been indoor stored its whole life, had no signs of moisture in '17, had I not been there to show him how to use things the findings list would have been MUCH longer (in truth he had 3 findings all were known and minor, except the moisture) this being said, I am seriously questioning the moisture.

[bud37]

I see... Imo your first guy was right about the meters being thrown off by the damp foam with the foil on one side.....the problem I found concerns those round hatch pulls....the holes for them were never sealed properly and water pours thru there and into the core and the insulation/sound barrier gets soaked. The only way to dry it is have the hatches tipped up for a long time.
I drilled the holes out , dried them and sealed the holes completely with epoxy, then installed a different type of deck pull that is a surface mount....that solved it, bilge dryer as well, it seams they made the newer models like that....hmmmm.

That coring is a relatively easy fix if you have to, I believe someone on here repaired his hatches himself and there are pics.

[650Guy]

man... that's exactly what I see too! When you lift the hatch up the foam insulation just drips water out for a while. Whats funny is usually once a month on a hot sunny day I take the hatches off 1 at a time and stand them up to dry out. Then all winter I do the same.

Do you happen to know what the title of the string is to see how he did it? "Like Engine hatch cover fix". hahahah.. Just don't know what to call it??

[650Guy]

Would this be the String:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3135&p=20180&hilit=350+Mariner+Engine+Hatch#p20180

[bud37]

Source of the post Would this be the String:

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3135&p=20180&hilit=350+Mariner+Engine+Hatch#p20180

Actually the one I remember had some repair pics in it.....so much for old age memory..... no that is not the one, but good info there never the less........

[denpooch]

I have a 2005 mariner and wound up with a 'spongy' deck plate. It was indeed the middle section that is subject to the 'leaky' hatch pull.
I had the bottom of the deck plate cut out and recored. It'a as good as new.

[650Guy]

Awesome! Mine are not spongy and actually tap out nicely. But good to know it’s a simple fix should it become an issue. That’s for sure!