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Is the whole boat of C -250 pure fiberglass?

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michael Goodman
Deckhand

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2 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/25/2014 : 21:16:00

I am wondering if there is any balsa or wood glassed in on the deck. Or plywood glassed over anywhere that is subject to rot such as the transom?

I heard they were laid up with a chopper gun and the Mcgregors are hand laid with cloth. Any information on that as well.

Come to British Columbia he best sailing in the world July, August and September

Edited to move to C-250 forum where you'll likely get more responses.

Edited by - C250 Editor on 06/27/2014 17:12:17

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2014 : 21:31:18

Don't know where chopper gun stories come from, but rest assured that Catalina's, as any boat of even mediocre or worse quality, is laid up. The deck and part of the coach roof is plywood cored on the C-25. I can't say, but imagine that applies to the 250. Some 250 owner might reply, but the 250 forum would be the best place to ask.

Edited by - on

Tomas Kruska
Admiral

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Czech Republic
522 Posts

Response Posted - 06/26/2014 : 02:43:49

I had C25 from 1978 and all was hand laid fiberglass with marine plywood core in the deck and liner.
I'm not sure about transom, because I had a little modified one, but I suspect it was there too. Hull is solid fiberglass.

I'm sure C250 is the same and also the newest Catalina models. In some latest official presentation video they told they do not use plywood coring under deck hardware to avoid rotting.

Even tho I had some bad rotten areas on the deck, it was still pretty solid after 30+ years.

Be sure to fix any leak ASAP, because bilge should be bone dry.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2014 : 17:21:59

Our '97 is definitely cored in areas. The cabin is probably close to 4" of plywood, and the transom goes from cored toward hull to pure fiberglass as it climbs toward the cockpit. I believe it was also cored up close to the rub rail when I installed the electric bilge pump.

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2014 : 17:32:13

4 inches thick?

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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4479 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2014 : 18:52:27

It may not be 4", but it's pretty thick:

That's looking up from the cabin through the hole in the cabin top for the compression post. I also have photos somewhere of the transom core when I mounted my Garelick engine mount.

Here you can see the core in the upper holes in the transom, and no core down below:

Or at least you can see the hull is much thicker at the transom, but it's cored with plywood on the top, no core on the bottom.

Edited by - delliottg on 06/27/2014 18:58:48

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2014 : 19:58:10

quote:
Originally posted by delliottg

It may not be 4", but it's pretty thick:

The area around the compression post has a ~4" thick insert, but it's just a small square around that area. It create a void space for the wiring to the spots, mast lights, etc. But the rest of the cabin top has a much thinner plywood core.

As for the transom, you can actually see where the plywood ends by looking back around the battery. It gets thinner around the edge because the plywood does not go all the way to the edge.

Edited by - TakeFive on 06/27/2014 19:59:12

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2014 : 20:27:24

Ah, good point about the compression post area. Don't think I've drilled into the cabin anywhere else, but I know that the jib track's bolts are roughly 3" long as I've removed several of them to fix leaks.

Edited by - on

michael Goodman
Deckhand

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2 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2014 : 04:51:53

Hey Friends,
Thanks for all your answers about coring. Never would have known without you all. Warm regards, Michael from Vancouver BC.

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Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9080 Posts

Response Posted - 06/29/2014 : 09:30:03

Another irrelevant factoid about the C-25... My '85 had foam coring in the transom. I would have thought the C-250's transom would, too, partly because of its more complex shape. Guess I was wrong.

I know for a fact both boats are laid-up woven fiberglass with a glass-mat exterior laminate (to keep the woven texture from showing). Incidentally, I also recall that many MacGregors/Ventures (especially older ones) were molded with chopper-guns. If you can see the rough inside of the hull, you can tell in an instant. But it's funny how Mac people like to make claims about Catalinas, which by practically every expert opinion (other than Roger's) have always been better built, which just might be why they've always been more expensive. (Not that lower-priced boats are a bad thing...)

I would expect Catalina now uses composite core in their decks, as is used in my current boat (Eastern 27). Mine is Nida-Core, a plastic honeycomb sandwich that's much lighter than plywood and will not rot. My decks and bulkheads like rock. When somebody asks about replacing the core under their C-25 cockpit sole, for example, I've recommended Nida-Core. (There are others...)

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 06/29/2014 09:31:02

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.