Cracks in Yacht....Are they serious?

Hello readers,`
Today following a thorough inspection on my yacht, i noticed, what i inferred as major cracks that i think are structural. They are in the reinforcement battens that go across were the keel is and are fairly deep.
Im getting fairly worried so im just wondering if anyone knows of anything like this and what can be done...

Damian

 

They may just be on the surface, but you should get a marine surveyor to x-ray it. Don't take a chance with something like that.

http://www.aimsurveyors.com.au/memwa.shtml

 

Seems like the tabbing is coming off the floors. Also, the first photo shows what appears like an old repair. You need someone to look at it.

 

Agreed, the cracks on the top surfaces look to be cracks in the paint or gelcoat, and they could go deeper. They are signs that the hull/keel stub structure is moving slightly. There is also some tabbing that appears to have separated from the hull. Also agreed that a good surveyor should look at this and recommend repairs.

The good news is that these seem accessible enough to repair relatively easily. Basically, you would grind off the paint down to bare fiberglass in the repair areas. Also grind away the broken tabbing. Keep all repair surfaces clean and well sanded. Relaminate over the transverse floors (what you call battens) with at least two layers of a 0/90-deg fiberglass fabric such as CD1808 (18 oz/sq.yd. bidirectional fabric with a bit of mat sewn to it) and epoxy resin. For the tabbing, relaminate those with about 3 layers of +/-45-deg fabric such as DB1708 (double-bias fabric also with a bit of mat sewn to it). The tabbing should extend onto the floors and hull about 3-4 inches wide. A good repair boatyard will know what to do if you don't want to handle it yourself.

Good luck.

Eric

 

shes had a good bang mate !!!

Is every one missing the broken glass on the hull as well ??
The keel has hit something really hard and been punched upwards judging by the cracks and there location .
How big is the boat ?? is it still in the water or on the hard ?? if its out was it leaking at all ??
Me i would be getting a grinder and scimming the gel coat off one of the patchs of cracks on the foors and also the places on the hull its self . Its not been just a bump its been a really solid bang its had .
Once you taken the gelcoat off you will find the glass is white where the cracks are and also the tabbing glass that looks like its parted company off the hull as well !!
post some good detailed pictures so we can see what you found . !! if those floors are wood then id be worried even more because if the wood was solid still it would have cracked completely differant . and if its aged the would could have snapped and broken The last picture looks like the glass skin has completely come off whatever it was stuck to !! You have a major job on you hands !! Should you be worried ?? yes for sure !! untill you find whats under the gelcoat !!.cracks are tell tale signs and should be heeded and not just left !! the glass could also be covering other damage as well so lots more pictures please .
If the boats out on the hard outside pictures all round that area as well could reveal even more cracks as to the actual exstent of the damage !! ALSO HAVE A REALL CLOSE LOOK AT THE FRONT OF THE KEEL ALL WAY DOWN TO THE BOTTOM FOR TELL TALE SIGNS OF HITTING SOMETHING ! The after end of the keel stub where it turns int the hull pay special close attention to looking for cracks and any damage !! The way its constructed the keel could be moving side to side so if the hull is suspended and the keel free not touching anything you may possible be able to move the keel sided to side . Its a bad design and not very strong !!
THOSE BATTERNS AS YOU CALLED ARE KNOWN AS FLOORS !

 

looks like you have movement in the hull structure between the hull, keel and floor beams. That would cause those kind of cracks, perhaps a ground strike as Tunnels suspects.

Is the hull base materials wood under the fiberglass? Or is it all fiberglass? Or something else? Better strip off the outer layer and get a good look at it what ever it is.

 

...looking at the job, I see previous rough repairs to some damage done, certainly similar to what Tunnels says, keel punching. It is a repairable job, the total gelcoat and old (delaminating) repair needs to be ground back to clear glass, relaminated then flo coated again to make it pretty.

 

Keel

The keel doesn't move at all, i tried to shake it numerous times but it seems to be very solid. What i did notice though was that it had a crack horizontally through the keel.. I'm thinking it could be a join Theres no sign of a big "hit" but there's a little crack on the keel. also the whole keel is solid iron so I guess it would have to be a very major hit to damage the keel.
I checked the other side of the crack and there doesn't seem to be anything. There are also some hairline cracks in the actual cockpit.
I scraped back some fiberglass and the cracks don't seem to go away (please see photographs)

The boat is a 18ft Spacesailer and is a complete fiberglass construction.

 

Ok please dont get me wrong but the whole keel thing want looking at !! need to spend time inside with a grinder all kitted out for dust and spend some time and remove all the gelcoat to reveal bare glass . once its cleaned out take some more pictures and post !! i have a feeling theres more to those cracks that what we are seeing !! some of the glass has actully come off the hull shell that there to hold all these floors in place and brace the keel stub down onto what ever the bolts are bedded on to .
The horizontal cracks outside is the join between the cast keel,and the actual hull its self . I would say at a rought guess there a layer of glass over the join and when it hit what ever, that it could have been a glanceing blow on one side and pushed the keel and broken the glass on that one side only !! so more grinding paint and gel coat off and uncover the secrets below .Cast iron is hard so there wont be any marks in the keel its self just the glass over the top .
The floors inside could be a major specially if they are broken you need to get them out and make new ones and then refit and glass completely over the top so all the gel coat and crap needs to be ground so can see what under it . !!
Sorry !! is better to just bite the bullet and get into it and do it !!
Lots pictures and keep posting !! we are all here to help you !! so dont feel alone at any time !! keep at it !!
The cracks are where the winch is stressing the combing with lots a loading !!! theres possibly very little reinforcing under the combing its self !! one side or both ??

 

Although I generally hate paying for other people's opinions when I can form my own for free, I agree that in this case it's probably worth the money to have a surveyor take a look at the boat.

And a tip of the hat for questioning the cracks to begin with, instead of just assuming they're cosmetic and shrugging them off.

 

even if you get some one to have a look its still worth making there job a little easyer and get the gelcoat off so he can see better and maybe tell if all the floors going across are stuffed of not . i think they might be and of one is gone its worth doing the others as well for peace of mind and knowing everything in there is better than it was !!

 

So the vote is 100% to hire a surveyor.

 

its a spacey 18 on a trailer in perth, there are a lot of good glass boat repairers there. find one and take the boat there. ask around the boat dealers for a reputable repair place that they use.

 

Only for 1 month a year...the rest of the years its on a Matilda bay mooring

 

I just had a thought..Could the Yacht being on a trailer be damaging it?