Crack in hull below waterline

Subject: 1966 Paceship Mouette 19' length

Purchased a week ago for getting back into sailing after 30 year hiatus. Low investment cost. Second time we took it sailing when landing back on trailer and pulling it on we heard a loud pop.



Main crack is about 10 inches long with approximate 3 inch branch crack.

Do to incredibly full plate of a big household project I was wondering about doing just an exterior repair to the crack. Getting down to the fiberglass; that is through the paint and gelcoat for about 6 or 7 inches all around the crack. Then applying 3 or 4 layers of fiberglass to repair.

I am a neophyte to fiberglass repair and unsure of the strength. The reference material I found on the boat says that it has a weight of about 550 lbs overall. With 70 lbs of that being the swing keel.

Do you think it would make it through one (1) sailing season? Hopefully after the next season we will be finished with this terrible household project and then I can really do a proper repair job. Where I remove some flooring in the cuddy act like a contortionist and repair from the interior.

We will be sailing on Lake Monroe in Indiana which is about an 11,000 acre lake.

Have a Great Day,
Jim

 

Jim , no it will not make it through another season because if left un attended water will run into the crack creating a wick affect which means more de lamination and why make it bigger then it already is . Jim i have to say that when you get into this type of repair it could turn into something more then you anticpated and why to it twice by putting a band aid on it . Just my 2 cents

 

You can easily make the repair from the outside and it is probably better this way. Polyester or epoxy resin. Polyester is cheaper, but epoxy is easier for a rookie. Grind back and taper around all the cracks. Try to pop or align the fracture as well as you can. Resin up the area, then apply mat and cloth if polyester, just cloth if epoxy to replace material ground away. Surface with thickened epoxy, fair smooth and paint.

 

An outside patch can work. If you are not racing, a small bump won't affect the performance of the boat.

 

That's unfortunate.

Simply do it right the first time. Don't do it twice.

You'll also get a better idea of what's really goiing on within if you open it

right up and repair completely. I'd use polyester, it's not that difficult if you

know what to do and you'll feel much better when it's done.

Although, a patch will give you some experience with the stuff...

Good luck, Tom

 

I agree Tom , do it right the first time because why would you want to grind twice .

 

There is no reason you can not make a long lived, permanent repair from the outside, without any bumps. Grind down into the mat, tapering out a few inches around each crack, align the broken pieces, wet up, fill with mat and/or cloth depending on which resin you decide to use, then smooth it flush with regular fairing practices. This is just how it would get done in most repair yards around the country and it would be an insurable repair, which is all that counts in the big show.

 

Regardless as to the repair method I'd want the answer to a simple question:

Why did the hull fail?

You said you were pulling the boat (winching?) onto a trailer. You're not winching a ton or two of boat here.

Why did the hull delaminate under those conditions? Where exactly is the delamination? What stresses are encountered in that area on the ramp or out in the water?

Good luck and be careful out there.

MIA

 

Judging by the "POP!" sound, the boat must have contacted a hard corner on the trailer. An examination of the trailer and not the boat should be carried out. It is possible to exert a point-load of hundreds of pounds on one localized spot, or even more with a bounce.
A boat, ideally, should be floated onto its trailer rather than drawn up onto it.

 

These were very well built boats, so I agree that the cause is most likely a point load given by the trailer. Nice boats, sail well and handle quite heavy weather. It might pay in due course to get the main re-cut to accept longer (full length??) battens, if the existing sails need attention anyway.

Regards, Tony.

 

550 lbs is, however, light for nearly 20 ft, even for a daysailer, however well built (and well built would indicate stiff in a light boat, like an eggshell).
My own 18.5 ft Alacrity weighs 1450, with 500 lbs distributed between two bilge keels.
It's probable that the Alacrity is twice or more thicker than the Paceship where the puncture occurred. And possibly not as stiff (suceptable to point-load injuries).

 

If a small wave lifts the boat a few inches and drops it on the corner of a trailer bracket or some thin it will easy burst right through a hull that probably be chopper gun built.