I agree with Bob. I'm willing to bet that 90% of the time, the smile is a result of wet plywood in the bilge core. I also believe that the water creeps into the plywood from inside the boat from the water that lies in the bilge. There is only an 1/8 of an inch of fiberglass covering the plywood hence no strength there. My guess is that the water creeps in around the bolts as well as is absorbed by the thin fiberglass sheathing. To test it, assuming the bilge is dry at the time, drill a few 1/2" holes about 3/4"-1" deep in the bottom of the bilge and check them the next day. See if they don't fill with water. Feel the wood shavings that the drill produces and squeeze them between some tissue paper, you'll know if their wet.
If the wet ply core were not a problem, Catalina would not have a procedure explaining how to repair it. Mark #4289 "Solution" --- In [email protected], "Bob" <kniggit...@...> wrote: > > Hi all, > > This is like de ja vu all over again.... > > ....and the more times I think about the smile, the more I am convinced that > the "improper blocking theory" was a fabrication by the legal department, to > shift all the blame to the boat yards, rather than admit any possibility of a > design/construction/materials issue. > > Bob Stockley > Sundance #2436 > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In [email protected], "Joe McCary" <joe@> wrote: > > > > Derek, what year is your boat? I just had my '81 #4795 pulled and no smile, > > I wonder if it is a function of age or can be caused by running aground or > > improper blocking. > > > > > > > > Joe McCary > > Aeolus II, West River, MD > > joe at photoresponse.com > > www.aeoluswestriver.net > > > > > > > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of > > Derek Atkin > > Sent: Saturday, May 09, 2009 6:40 PM > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: [IC27A] Source of the Catalina smile. [2 Attachments] > > > > > > > > [Attachment(s) from Derek Atkin included below] > > > > > > > > > > This is by no means gospel. just my thought. > > > > Attached is a shot of the front-most keel boat washer. As you can see its > > now conical in shape. If you take the movement of the bolt due to washer > > deformation and the collapse of the surface underneath - you can certainly > > see why a tolerance grows and thus allows the keel to drop a little and > > generate a crack. > > > > I have also attached a shot of my remedy. 3/4" aluminum blocks that are > > acting to spread the load of the keel on the keel floor. If you look around > > the bole - you can see the larger flat washer - which is about the same size > > as the washer on the original fitting. I had plates made for every keel > > bolt, significantly increasing the surface area that spreads the load for > > each keel bolt. They are fitted with stainless lock-nuts and washers and > > were set in epoxy to take up any surface irregularities. > > > > Hopefully this increased support will prevent and further separation between > > the boat and the keel. > > > > Derek Atkin > > #4297 > > > > > > > > > > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature > > database 4063 (20090508) __________ > > > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > > > http://www.eset.com > > >
