Shawn:
My 42 Custom is a “stick boat,” not a production boat, so
results will vary. In my case, I basically saved the boat from the landfill. I
bought her without a hull survey because the seller’s rep (an Estate sale) is
an old friend of mine, very knowledgeable about boats (he repairs them for a
living), and knew this boat in particular. He showed me an area where he made
a hull repair, and advised that the rest of the boat was sound. Based on his
representation, I decided to proceed with the purchase. I needed a hull survey
to satisfy the insurance company, and the surveyor picked up a wet spot on the
port side behind the keel. The affected area was about 3’ x 3’ and accessible
from the inside – no big deal. I then asked my boat guru to have a look. He
metered the boat and called me to say we “needed to have lunch.” He explained
during lunch that the core below the waterline was wet from the keel to the
rudder, and the repair (done correctly) would take time and be expensive.
After fixing that problem (on the hard for a year), we then discovered that the
core was also wet from the keel forward to the bow. Another lost season.
(Moisture detection up front was masked by a really thick layup of fiberglass
that you might not see in a production boat.) After fixing that problem,
followed by about 12 coats of barrier coat, all was good for a few years. Then
I noticed some blistering amidships on both sides (the only places left).
Water intrusion from the inside was impossible due to the barrier coat, and we
concluded that decades of condensation under the water tanks likely caused the
problem. I addressed the port and starboard sides one year at a time to avoid
disrupting the sailing season. The port side repair required removing a water
tank. The starboard side repair required removing the second water tank and
the fuel tank. Everything is fixed, and the boat is probably stronger now than
when it was built. However, it took a lot of work, patience, money, and West
System.
The moral of the story: don’t even think about buying a boat
with a cored hull below the waterline unless you’re completely comfortable
after hearing from a surveyor who really knows how to use a moisture meter.
Matt
From: Shawn Wright via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com>
Sent: Monday, March 20, 2023 7:06 PM
To: Stus-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com>
Cc: Shawn Wright <shawngwri...@gmail.com>
Subject: Stus-List Cored hulls feedback wanted
As we once again consider a boat with cored hull (LF43 or LF38), I am reminded
of why we eventually chose our current 35 four years ago. I couldn't be sure of
the hull integrity without an expensive survey, and at the low price range we
could afford, avoiding a cored hull just removed this concern.
But as I understand it, most C&Cs over 35' have been cored since the late 60s
or early 70s depending on the model, so that includes a lot of boats, most of
which are probably still sailing, albeit mainly coastal cruising or racing. Now
as we consider the next boat for our long term offshore boat, things like
potential hull damage from a reef or a collision in a remote part of the world
are a concern.
So I am interested in hearing about experiences with cored C&Cs, problem which
have occurred under both normal use and as a result of damage from impact, and
how effectively they could be repaired.
I guess an additional question is how C&C's balsa coring compares with modern
day foam coring, either with or without vacuum bagging. I assume foam has some
advantages in not absorbing water.
Thanks.
--
Shawn Wright
shawngwri...@gmail.com <mailto:shawngwri...@gmail.com>
S/V Callisto, 1974 C&C 35
https://www.facebook.com/SVCallisto
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