Analysis of how an X2 can get waterlogged.

[shawn_NJ]

Ok so after daytona I decided to give my X2 a real good once over before the season. I pulled the motor to install an ADA girdled setup. Once I had the motor out I flipped the hull upsidedown to check for any damage from the abuse it took during the 7days in daytona. Damage follows me....

I found this fimiliar looking crack on the bottom. Its fimiliar because my other (2) 650 x2s died from may of these. Water gets in the footwell/tray are, then freezes and cracks the hull. It always happens on the chimes on the bottom.

http://www.surf-mb.com/carnage/damage1.JPG

http://www.surf-mb.com/carnage/damage2.JPG



So I knew I had to take action and figure out where this was coming from. I broke out the sawzall and got cutting and defoaming. The strange thing here is that oilly crap was running through! ? ! This is the WD-40 that I coated the motor with daily in daytona. Water/oil from the motor compartment were making it into the tray area and leaking out through the crack.



http://www.surf-mb.com/carnage/damage3.JPG


http://www.surf-mb.com/carnage/damage4.JPG


Water was leaking from UNDER the firewall into the tray area. Luckily for me this was new, VERY new. The foam was just wet in the immediate area of the crack. The rest was SUPER dry!!!!! Whew. Now I had two problems to fix, I had to stop the cracking and fix the water intrustion from the firewall seal going bad. It looks like they used a silicone type material to seal the bottom of the firewall to the bottomdeck. This pulled up in my hands. You can see from the below picture areas of concern.


http://www.surf-mb.com/carnage/damage5.JPG




http://www.surf-mb.com/carnage/damage6.JPG

Previous photo was taken through this opening in the foottray. I sanded the crack down from the inside of the hull and layed up a 5 layers of fiberglass mat to support the cracked area and seal it from letting water in. I also sanded down the exterior crack of the hull. Still undecided on how to go about sealing/reinforcing the exterior. I am going to seal the bottom of the firewall with epoxy to try to stop water from getting into the tray area.

http://www.surf-mb.com/carnage/damage7.JPG



http://www.surf-mb.com/carnage/damage8.JPG

Also going to seal the factory foam injection holes. The foam was wet around the hole. I am also going to seal this hole, I didnt even know it was there until I defoamed. I guess its a air hole when they shot the foam in?


http://www.surf-mb.com/carnage/damage9.JPG



Hopefully this will stop the water intrusion for awhile. There is nothing worse then a water logged X2 hull!!!!

[wadman]

nice write up. i will have to take a look at them spots on mine.

[cattledog]

wow everybody has water logged foam, my 100 dollar x2 was completely dry,the squarenose i just bought is waterlogged i am begining to think that if you open any older ski you would find some water?but in your case you were getting them from you cracks

[sflsurfrider]

thanks for the info shawn!

you should be a detective.

[shawn_NJ]

thanks for the info shawn!

you should be a detective.


GO GO GADGET......................


SAWZALL!

[crab]

I think I 5200'd all that when reinforcing in my build.

[primetime1267]

I think I 5200'd all that when reinforcing in my build.


Gotta love 5200.... I'm doing the same when I start swapping hulls. 5200 all areas that look funny looking.