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Hull Construction / crack question

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John P
Captain

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USA
324 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/12/2005 : 10:35:06

I was at my uncles this weekend and he had a friend over that has a Cat 25 about the same year as mine ('84). I ask about how he is enjoying it this year and he says he isn't. He says this spring he found a crack inside that has him very worried.

The crack is on the starboard side, below the sink, where it appears that the hull and the cabin interior are a solid unit (gel coat on the interior?). he said the crack is about 4" long and runs down from almost the joint of the cabinet/hull to where the floor starts.

He is terrified to put the boat in the water, but has not had time to look at it from the outside either.

We talked for awhile about the cradles and hauling and travel lifts (which is what his marina uses). We have both read that the full keel design boats are intended to rest on the keel, with the cradle pads only providing balance.

I was optimistic in that if the crack is in the gel coat on the interior, perhaps the hull was stressed in that spot and the hull flexed, but only the gel coat cracked.

Has anyone ever seen anything like this?

'84, C-25, SR/FK, #4663, "ILLUSIONS", Chazy, NY (Lake Champlain)
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/illusions

Edited by - on

cathluk
Admiral

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USA
513 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2005 : 11:00:56

If the crack in only on the surface in the interior pan then I wouldn't think there would be any structural issues. Has he tried to look at it from the underside through the bilge or some other opening to see if it's surface crazing or the pan is cracked all the way through?

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Bill Holcomb
Admiral

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USA
769 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2005 : 11:05:18

Hi John,

If you are talking about a gel coat crack that you see in the interior of the boat, the crack is in the interior liner. The C25 essentially is made in three parts: the hull; the deck (including cockpit); and the interior liner. Assembly goes something like this: put the hull in a cradle and level it; squirt epoxi putty on all inside hull surfaces where the hull and interior liner touch; put the interior liner into the hull; put a bead of epoxi putty along the entire deck to hull joint and on the cabin top portion of the interior liner ; put the deck on the hull like you'd put a shoe box top on a shoe box; mechanically fasten (nuts bolts 'n washers) the aluminum extrusion for the rub rail to the deck to hull joint.

I don't know the reason why your uncle's friend's boat developed the crack. However, it probably is not structural.

If it was my boat, I'd take a Dremel moto tool to the crack and open it up to see what repair would be needed.

Bill Holcomb - C25 Snickerdoodle #4839

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John P
Captain

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USA
324 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2005 : 11:16:02

When I spoke with him on the weekend, he had not yet looked at it from the outside. He did not know how to properly jack the boat off the cradle to check. I told him to just have them put it in the water and see if water comes in.

However, now I think I may have been wrong. Is the liner actually glued to the hull? so that if the hull flexes, the liner may flex as well (and crack)?

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 07/12/2005 : 23:15:23

Adding to Bill's comments, the "floor pan" that includes the galley is maybe 3/8" thick (from what I remember making holes in it). The hull is a great deal thicker and stronger, and is connected but not really integral to the liner. I think there might be a fourth piece--the head liner (with plywood between it and the deck and cabintop)... I know of no place where there is gelcoat on the inside of the hull OR the deck laminations. The point is that cracks inside, or even on the deck or in the cockpit, are not indicators of hull problems. If the joint between the keel and hull looks sound, the hull is probably fine. I'd float the boat--if it starts taking water, he'll have more than a few hours--probably more like a few days--to get her out. The interior cracks are more likely due to some stress created in manufacturing that took its toll years later, maybe when the boat hit a big wave or was set down wrong by a lift operator--or when somebody got drunk and kicked the side of the galley cabinet. The C-25 has a pretty strong hull.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 07/12/2005 23:23:36

John P
Captain

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USA
324 Posts

Response Posted - 07/13/2005 : 06:51:28

Thanks Dave,

I will pass this on.

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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.