The C-Brats Forum Index
HomeForumsMy TopicsCalendarEvent SignupsMemberlistOur C-DorysThe Brat MapPhotos

What to do about cracking hull where rub rail is fastened.

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The C-Brats Forum Index -> Hull, Deck and Fittings
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
louxwe



Joined: 03 Sep 2018
Posts: 33
City/Region: Niceville
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Falcon
Photos: C-Falcon
PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 12:42 pm    Post subject: What to do about cracking hull where rub rail is fastened. Reply with quote

I have only had my boat for about a year and haven't used it too much. When I pulled it out in Sept to trailer it for surgery I noticed there is a crack in the hull along where the rub rail was riveted to the side of the hull. The crack appears to be on the front portion of the hull, looks to be on both sides but worse on one side. When researching the boat I kind of remember this being an issue.

What is the standard accepted way to fix this, or did I just buy a lemon? From the interior you can start to see chips in the fiberglass and light coming through and on the outside under the rub rail you can see about a 1/4 to 1/2 inch crack at the widest under the rub rail. Looks like the rivets just caused a stress along that line.

Not sure what to do now, is there some advice pictures on how to repair this? Should it be a big concern? Costly to repair? Images in my folder... can't seem to figure out how to attach images here?

http://www.c-brats.com/modules.php?set_albumName=album3053&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Micahbigsur@msn.com



Joined: 27 May 2019
Posts: 484
City/Region: Big Sur
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 2003
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sierra
Photos: Sierra
PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 1:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I looked at your photos, it doesn't look too serious, thick gellcoat can be very brittle and easily chips. Don't worry, I think many cbrats with specific knowledge of the problem will chime in and help you.
_________________
Micah Curtis and Dana, RN
2003 C-dory 25 Sierra, 200, 9.9 and 2.5 Suzukis
2012 R25 SC Sequoia (2015-2018)
1978 Folkes 38 SV Audacious (2006-2015)
Micah, KJ6GUF, Dana, KJ6GXG
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail AIM Address
thataway



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 20778
City/Region: Pensacola
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: thataway
Photos: Thataway
PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 6:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The hull to deck joint is under the "rub rail". It is glassed on the inside--not the outside. The aluminum extrusion and plastic insert covers the joint.

I do see the cracking, inside and outside--not bad--and I would not say a "lemon. You may want to pull the rub rail; doing this you will remove the rivets. You can put more glass on the inside--and a layer of epoxy and tape glass on the outside, under the rub rail, for a permanent "fix",

Are there any places where it looks as if the boat has been hit--with radial cracks out from an impact area? Any areas of delimitation of the V berth or the anchor locker--aft bulkhead?

_________________
Bob Austin
Thataway
Thataway (Ex Seaweed) 2007 25 C Dory May 2018 to Oct. 2021
Thisaway 2006 22' CDory November 2011 to May 2018
Caracal 18 140 Suzuki 2007 to present
Thataway TomCat 255 150 Suzukis June 2006 thru August 2011
C Pelican; 1992, 22 Cruiser, 2002 thru 2006
Frequent Sea; 2003 C D 25, 2007 thru 2009
KA6PKB
Home port: Pensacola FL
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
ssobol



Joined: 27 Oct 2012
Posts: 3358
City/Region: SW Michigan
State or Province: MI
C-Dory Year: 2008
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: SoBELLE
Photos: SoBelle
PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 7:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I thought one of the things about the C-Dory is that the joint between the hull and the deck was bonded in the mold meaning that there was not really a join there anymore (i.e. the hull and deck are bonded to be one piece).

There is some mention somewhere that this process of joining the hull and the deck is a discriminator from other boats.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
thataway



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 20778
City/Region: Pensacola
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: thataway
Photos: Thataway
PostPosted: Thu Oct 31, 2019 10:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The hull is one molding, the deck/splash well/sides of the cabin another molding. The "deck" molding is set on top (not a typical "shoe box" where the deck fits over the hull flange. Then several layers of glass are bonded on the inside of the hull to deck joint. So is this any more of a one piece than a shoe box which is joined with a adhesive sealant or a "Glue" like "plexus"?

I think it is better than holding the hull to deck joint with extrusions and sealants or pop rivets.

Increased cure time in the mold makes a boat more likely to be "True" to its molded lines. I had heard at one time, that the deck was put on the hull when it was still in the mold--but I don't know if that is being done currently...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
louxwe



Joined: 03 Sep 2018
Posts: 33
City/Region: Niceville
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2006
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Falcon
Photos: C-Falcon
PostPosted: Tue Nov 05, 2019 11:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't see any cracks extending down or something that looks like it was hit or ran into something, I am just concerned that the crack will extend along the rub rail and eventually the front top of the deck will be loose. I found in this video some mention that certain years of C-Dorys had some issue with deck cracking from the rivet joints going through and that C-Dory did something later to fix them. Would thickened epoxy be enough to repair it? Would you have to go back in somehow and sand inside the crack to get the thickened epoxy to stick? I'm worried about putting something that is rigid or hard into the crack and causing it to get worse with vibration.

[/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCIjkHzEEgU]


Thanks, Bill[/url][urlhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCIjkHzEEgU[/url]
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Micahbigsur@msn.com



Joined: 27 May 2019
Posts: 484
City/Region: Big Sur
State or Province: CA
C-Dory Year: 2003
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Sierra
Photos: Sierra
PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 1:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some of us don't think it is that super serious, but if you want a bullet proof structural fix, use a small grinder with a coarse sanding disk and remove the gellcoat along the inside of the seam. Using epoxy resin put on 4", 3" and 2" wide layers of fiberglass cloth tape, then gellcoat. Your deck will absolutely not come off. This is an easy job but will create a dusty mess.
I'm still not convinced that from what I can see of your problem that it is seriously structural, but that it is more local in nature. It just seems unlikely, as these boats are generally well built, that such a simple element of the building process would have a major failure.
This is just my opinion from on far, for true peace of mind why not have a local pro look at it and give you an opinion?
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail AIM Address
thataway



Joined: 02 Nov 2003
Posts: 20778
City/Region: Pensacola
State or Province: FL
C-Dory Year: 2007
C-Dory Model: 25 Cruiser
Vessel Name: thataway
Photos: Thataway
PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 9:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You can put thickened epoxy over the cracks if it makes you more comfortable. I cannot tell you exactly what type of fiberglass material (mat or cloth) was put over the hull to deck joint. Typically it was probably mat. For the 38' boat we built we did exactly what Micah described--but the glass cloth was alternated with Matt, 18 oz roving, then mat and cloth for a finish. The hull was still a bit "green" then--and no contamination, so we used polyester resin. In our case we were under no time constraint, so left the boat in the mold, for several weeks, while we put the deck on (as the same way the C Dory does).

As Micah suggests, epoxy is the item to use, if you wish to. If I was going to do that, I would just do where you see the cracking, not the entire boat. Your boat is 13 years old, and nothing has fallen apart yet...very unlikely to. II am not aware of any of the hull to deck joints failing because of this issue in C Dorys. If you are down Pensacola Way, bring your boat to my house, and we will take a look at it--sound it out etc...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Fontanacdory



Joined: 20 Jul 2017
Posts: 18
City/Region: Bryson City
State or Province: NC
C-Dory Year: 2003
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: Ms Jill
PostPosted: Wed Nov 06, 2019 3:24 pm    Post subject: Same problem with mine Reply with quote

The rivets loosen over time water gets in then freezes and pops out the in side gelcoat, no big deal. Replace some of the rivets with stainless machine screws fender washer and lock nuts. Just in the area that is lose and not every rivet. Then clean off the any caulk out side and recaulk the top of the rub rail only with marine silicon. I carpeted the side walls in v berth to cover the nuts and the cracked gelcoat three years and no problem.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
flagold



Joined: 23 Mar 2004
Posts: 951
City/Region: Abbeville
State or Province: AL
C-Dory Year: 2003
C-Dory Model: 22 Cruiser
Vessel Name: C-Dawg-E
PostPosted: Thu Nov 07, 2019 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As B.A. said, thickened epoxy does the trick - at the end of the crack (both ends if applicable) find the very tip of it and drill a small hole (stop drill it) with a #30 drill bit. This will turn linear stress into circular and stop the crack from growing (if you catch the very tip of it). Having been a fan of old airplanes and old boats I've don a lot of this kind of thing - you can use wax paper to get the hull shape exact by pressing the epoxy with that and removing the paper later. Good luck.
_________________
>Film: C-Dory Buyers Guide<
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    The C-Brats Forum Index -> Hull, Deck and Fittings All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
     Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You cannot download files in this forum



Page generation time: 0.0415s (PHP: 62% - SQL: 38%) - SQL queries: 28 - GZIP disabled - Debug on