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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

crack in the hull

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jhinton
Navigator

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USA
123 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/30/2010 : 17:55:05

Hello. I have been going through and cleaning up the 1982 Catalina 25 SK/SR that we bought this past winter and today I pulled it to my driveway so we can clean it. As I was getting ready I was under the boat and I found what appear to be some small cracks in the hull right where the front of the keel trunk meets the bottom of the hull. They are about 2 inches long in either direction, forward and up into the trunk. I went inside to take a look and I could not find any trace of the cracks from the inside of the boat around the keel trunk. There aren't any other cracks anywhere else around the keel either.

My biggest question right now is where to go from here? Is this something that I can sand up and fill with epoxy? Or do I need to be taking some more drastic steps?

I'm a little peeved since I paid had the boat professionally surveyed and it was on the trailer for the survey... No mention of any of this in the survey. My fault I guess.

Here are the links to the pictures in case they don't come up:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48854722@N07/4477255855/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/48854722@N07/4477254149/

Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks.

1982 C-25, SK/SR, traditional interior

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2010 : 19:34:24

Kind of looks like a broken cable and keel crash. You might have some legal recourse against the surveyor. At the least, you must grind off the gelcoat to see if the laminate is damaged. A professional opinion and repair would be the best course, but if the laminate is intact and money is an issue then the epoxy process would be ok. A layer of glass with epoxy resin and then finishing with thickened epoxy would be better.

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Ed Cassidy
Captain

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USA
365 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2010 : 19:41:42

And if there is a crack there from a free falling keel, it's very likely there is damage to the trunk.

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jhinton
Navigator

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USA
123 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2010 : 19:54:00

That's what I was afraid of... I really can't believe that a professional surveyor would have missed something like this.

I examined the starboard side of the keel trunk (I can't get to the port side because there is no access) and couldn't find any trace of cracking inside. I guess that is a little good news but I'm still fearful of what lies beneath.

If it indeed goes through the laminate and is in need of serious repair, would it be better to A) have the keel trunk repaired or B) convert to a wing keel? What are the approximate costs for each? My trailer is one with rollers and would be a little tough to convert to a wing keel trailer.

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islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4017 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2010 : 05:35:35

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I'm a little peeved since I paid had the boat professionally surveyed and it was on the trailer for the survey... No mention of any of this in the survey. My fault I guess.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Not necessarily your fault. I don't take much stock in these so called "Professional surveyors" and have never used one rather relying on my own 35yrs of messing with boats. I don't suggest this for someone with less experience/knowledge with boats. Anyone looking for a side job to make a few extra $$$ can put an add in the paper. I would get this so called pro back to look at the cracks and ask for the fee for is pro job back. Converting to a wing keel is a big job that requires equipment that most of us don't have and is probebly expensive to have a yard do. If you have a boat yard or marina around you take the boat to them and see what they say about repairing the cracks and go from there.

Edited by - islander on 03/31/2010 06:21:36

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2010 : 06:25:31

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by jhinton
 . . . I really can't believe that a professional surveyor would have missed something like this . . . <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Doesn't surprise me in the least. A friend bought an Alberg 32 based on a positive survey. First time it rained the deck leaked like a siv. He poked around and discovered the balsa core saturated and moldy. He re-read the survey and saw the surveyor had noted weather conditions the day of the survey . . . "cloudy and steady rain."

I once looked at a C25 in Toledo and discovered cracks in the exact same area - only the owner had tried (and failed miserably) to camouflage it with a piece of common door screen and some unknown putty.
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by islander
 [quote] . . . Converting to a wing keel is a big job that requires equipment that most of us don't have and is probebly expensive to have a yard do. If you have a boat yard or marina around you take the boat to them and see what they say about repairing the cracks and go from there.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I agree completely. To perform the repair correctly requires more than just grinding open the crack and filling it with epoxy/filler - which I am certain many yards would attempt to do. Regarding the wing conversion, there's also the cost of having the trailer re-configured correctly.

It's what people don't tell you in life . . .

Edited by - OJ on 03/31/2010 07:28:43

Justin
Admiral

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502 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2010 : 11:22:33

My C-25 had some similar cracks as well, fortunately they were not too bad, the boat was never taking on water. I had my marina grind it out and re-fiberglass the area. It only cost me around $200 or so if I recall. Here is a link to my site where I have some before and after pictures: http://www.sailblogs.com/member/justinc25/?xjMsgID=32314. Half way down you'll find the cracks and at the top you should see the repair. If you're not comfortable doing the glass repair, I'd just pay someone to take care of it. I wouldn't bother with the wing keel quite yet.

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jhinton
Navigator

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USA
123 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2010 : 12:39:59

Thanks for the pics of your boat. Your cracks look exactly like mine and the PO said that they never had any problems with water coming in. If I believe him... So hopefully my process will be somewhat similar to yours. I'm going to Dremel it like you did tonight and see what I find.

As far as the marine surveyor, this guy was licensed and had all the credentials and everything. Go figure. I have a little background with respect to boats but I wanted a "professional" opinion before we made the 8 hour drive out to buy it.

I sent him an email with the pictures so I'll see what he gets back to me with. I'm hoping that if he gives me my $ back from the survey (which wasn't cheap to begin with) it will cover the repairs. Yeesh.

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