We have a 2001 SMB that we picked up in later March. As we are still uncovering its "secrets" we discovered some concerning water damage after our last outing (been a wet spring).
In the back drivers corner i noticed discoloration on the fabric and as i pulled back the panels, i found that the wood trim at the base of the fabric was pretty well rotted.
In the corner the hardware is extremely corroded.
I suspect that the intrusion is occurring at the gutter seal as it is were the ladder is located and the seal isnt making much of a seal back here. ( line x of the gutters is on the horizon to mitigate this in the future.
So now i have a few questions as i work to repair this.
1. I am assuming the wood trim is what is holding the canvas in place? I will need to re-tension it with new wood?
2. Is there an alternative to wood in this application? if its purpose is to secure the canvas, i would assume that there are other materials that can accomplish this that are moisture resistant.
3. Would it be more cost effective option to use decking stain on the wood trim before installing it?
4. I am considering cutting out the bad sections and cutting new pieces to fit and replace. i do not see a structural or sealing reason why the entire board would need replaced as one piece. Is this true?
5. Any advice is welcome. I am very concerned about the corroded hardware making this a 4 hour job into something much much longer.
Any help is greatly appreciated!
PS: the penthouse doesn't operate smooth. It kinda lurches and grunts operating up and down. Is there some lubrication I can do to smooth out the operation (and reduce wear on the motors).