Cracked Keel 1999 starcraft 2290

[Ra3ei Ba7er]

I have this crack leaking water, alot of water, i wonder if this is repairable or not, how long will the repair last please advice
this the link at youtube



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PONupW0WDsA

Thanks

[PAR]

The video doesn't really show enough of the location, but it appears to be a lift strake, not the keel and it's clearly delaminated along a break in the tabbing. It can be repaired and the repair can easily out last the life of the boat if done properly. The best repair would be to remove the deck cap and liner (if one) and find out what going on inside that hull shell, as it likely you have other issues and tabbing letting go as well. This is a big job for the back yard repair person, but can be done. If done professionally, it would be quite costly. If the boat is insured, this level of damage would likely "total out" the vessel.

[tunnels]

Anything in glass is repairable . If it the keel need to look for a place where its hit something ,even strakes !!
Strakes need to be filled from end to end and have a couple of layers of Double bias glass over the top . They have 3 corners and always bend on all three . can be laminate separation pf the glass layers just from bending up and down a million and 10 times .
If one goes the others will follow sooner or later .
Boat companies never learn !!!

[PAR]

Originally Posted by tunnels

. . . They have 3 corners and always bend on all three . can be laminate separation pf the glass layers just from bending up and down a million and 10 times .
If one goes the others will follow sooner or later . . .

Yep, which is why you need to get under that deck cap/liner and see what's really going on. There's probably more tabbing and/or laminate about to crap the bed.

[tunnels]

Originally Posted by PAR

Yep, which is why you need to get under that deck cap/liner and see what's really going on. There's probably more tabbing and/or laminate about to crap the bed.

Opening a can of worms like having to repair strakes is a time to look at everything else and do it all at the same time . But If it was done properly in the first place this would never happen . Trailer rollers are another place to look at too . The wobbly rollers are only good to Move and aign the hull but when a hull sits for long periods of time on the trailer they leave indentaions in the bottom of the hulls panels . You wondered why you boat dosent perform quite as good as it used to ! check you hull fairness any changes in shape are changing the performance of the hull !!.Strakes should be made to be like a longtudenal stringer and glassed and filled level and glassed again inside . All the power boats i have made reguardless of size get the strakes filled and glassed . Glass strands laid straight make panel stiffer as well so the panel has less flex unfilled strakes are the natural weak point where all the flexing takes place on those 3 corners . with layers of woven etc and flexing the glass delaminates and makes the panel flex even more and speeds up the process of delamination till cracks appear on the gelcoat and leaks . No you should not try to repair from the outside , you have to get inside to do the repairs and rebuild the strake from stem to stern . Chopped strand matt and double bias are the two best glasses to use aling with H80 foam cut and bedded into the wet glass ground off flush and glassed over again a good 100mm each side of the strake . Check where any trailer rollers are touching the hull and build extra glass if need be !!.
It has to be strong !!!! post some pictures from outside and inside when you get it opened up !!

[Ra3ei Ba7er]

Hi again
Thank very much for your inputs.
I would like to clarify the following points
1- I purchased this boat from Florida and shipped it all the way to Saudi Arabia
2- This boat was kept most of the time in water
3- The trailer that this boat came on was without rollers, two wood pillars covered with carpet
4- When I received it here is Saudi Arabia, the trailer suspensions were all broken.
5- There was thick layer of bottom paint which I do not like because I always keep my boats dry on trailer.
I removed the bottom paint and found two small but long cracks exactly where the boat was sitting on trailer.
6- Previous owner denied having any kind of leakage or cracks under the boat.
7- I fixed and repainted the cracks from outside and painted the boat all over.
I used it 2 times just for the sake of testing, it was OK, my third time I went far from the marina about 15 miles and by chance I noticed allot of water inside the cabin, then I opened the battery cover and realized that I am in trouble, with the help of coast guard I reached the marina safe
I did not do anything yet, I contacted two shops in our area to give an assessment and estimate for the repair, and I will update you once I get their opinion.

[tunnels]

Pictures if it possible !! Out side and any inside . If there are strakes then thats the weakest place on the hull sitting on Beds is a good way to suport the hull as the whole weight of the hull is suported on a much bigger area than just rollers . If there had been roller they could have gone completely throught the hull bottom !!
Pictures please !!!

[SamSam]

Was it shipped in a container?

[Ra3ei Ba7er]

hi
No it was shipped RORO on the same trailler
this 2nd video for boat in and out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdsDX5MitrE
I also have some pictures below

[Ra3ei Ba7er]

I have a big Auto workshop and we do fiberglass, but my workers have Zero experince in marine, i am planning to completly remove the top part of the boat and see what is going on in the inside of the boat, but someone told me that this is wrong because you will never be able to put it back in place.
Is this is true?
If so then what should i do
Kindly advice

[Ra3ei Ba7er]

In the second video you will see that there is a crack in the foam

[Saildude]

You will need to get to the inside of the hull for the repairs. The people that help in the forum have a lot of experience helping people do the repairs correctly so they will last and don't leave you treading water offshore. Do the repairs the right way and you can pretty much not worry after that. Poorly done repairs by owners keep many people employed at local boat yards reworking poorly done owner repairs.

Since you have done fiberglass work before half the battle is already done.

Good luck.

[Ra3ei Ba7er]

Hi Again
This is an update
As I told you I do have Auto repair Workshop, My staff removed the top
These are few images for the inside
I will start removing the Foam and Fuel tank tomorow

[Ra3ei Ba7er]

The crack is exactly under the foam layer, I removed some foam, it is covered with fiber all over, the botom of the foan is also having relatively thick fiber layer, would someone advice how and waht should we do now to avoid unnecesary mistakes and do a good long lasting repair
Thanks

[Ra3ei Ba7er]

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