Cracked hull

Karyon

.
Jun 8, 2004
171
Hunter 23.5 Red deer, Alberta
I came across a H23.4 but the hull has about a 6" crack in it, but it is below the waterline right where the ballast tank is. How critical is that? There would be water in the ballast tank as well outside the hull.
 

SG

.
Feb 11, 2017
1,670
J/Boat J/160 Annapolis
Is thr crack through the fiber glass or just in the gelcoat? Does water leak through it?

What the crack caused by? Impact from dropping, or, bending, hitting something?
 

Karyon

.
Jun 8, 2004
171
Hunter 23.5 Red deer, Alberta
The owner said it was a log that punctured it, the boat is still in the water so it is hard to tell if water is leaking thru.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Take a couple of photos and lets go from there. Sounds like some good advice needs to be coming but without photos I am not going to take time to put up a 5 page explanation.
 

SG

.
Feb 11, 2017
1,670
J/Boat J/160 Annapolis
Is the crack where the ballast is? If so fill it with the boat on the trailer.

If he hit a log, I would suspect some Gelcoat signs of Blunt trauma. Trailer trauma, deployment issues are also possibilities.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Karyon, never fill up a waterballasted Hunter while sitting on the trailer. I know these boats. If on the trailer, take a leaf blower and blow into the tank from the air vent. you will have to make something to divert the air flow and not so concerned doing that as it is low pressure. Have someone on the outside, brushing with soapy water with brush over crack to see if air bubbling thru crack.
 
May 24, 2004
7,129
CC 30 South Florida
Oh, it is below the waterline. Just where a 6" crack in the hull could be the most serious. Have a surveyor or someone knowledgeable with the boat and about hull repairs give you an opinion. Need to pull the boat out of the water to inspect and conduct some tests leading to determine the severity of the damage to the hull and ballast tank.
 

Karyon

.
Jun 8, 2004
171
Hunter 23.5 Red deer, Alberta
Take a couple of photos and lets go from there. Sounds like some good advice needs to be coming but without photos I am not going to take time to put up a 5 page explanation.
It turns out there is more than a crack in the hull, I helped the fellow float the boat again as it was washed up during a massive storm that came thru with 120km/h wind.
I took some pictures but I think his sailing season is done for this year. He said he is going to put her back on the trailer and get some quotes to get it repaired.
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walt

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Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
the boat is still in the water
Interesting thing about water ballast is that you can have a hole like that and the boat still floats just fine (as long as the hole is "under" the ballast tank). But if you sail like that, the water will want to leak out of the ballast tank while you are healed and a partially filled tank probably is a very bad idea for boat stability.
 
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SG

.
Feb 11, 2017
1,670
J/Boat J/160 Annapolis
I guess he did more than "hit a log" -- though where you sail, maybe a log could be 4' in diameter and 50' long :^))))

Good luck to the guy.
 

SG

.
Feb 11, 2017
1,670
J/Boat J/160 Annapolis
Interesting thing about water ballast is that you can have a hole like that and the boat still floats just fine (as long as the hole is "under" the ballast tank). But if you sail like that, the water will want to leak out of the ballast tank while you are healed and a partially filled tank probably is a very bad idea for boat stability.
Interesting -- The water ballast become a float. Just DON'T USE IT -- or it will become something very different :^))))
 

walt

.
Jun 1, 2007
3,511
Macgregor 26S Hobie TI Ridgway Colorado
If you punch a hole like that in a normal ballast hull.. it would be resting on the bottom. But if the hole is under the ballast tank, you can still limp home.. Just dont try and sail home.
 
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Karyon

.
Jun 8, 2004
171
Hunter 23.5 Red deer, Alberta
When we pulled the boat back in the water there was also a bib rock right there with those big waves it just kept on bouncing on the rock.
But after we got it to float again the inside cabin was dry as a bone.

Just curious now if the water ballast tank is part of the hull and that they just put a lid on it that becomes the floor? or is it a complete separate tank.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Karyon;
You have major delamination not only between the layers of fiberglass but also the dyvanacell layer is exposed too. In addition, that delamination extends beyond the photo thus allowing water penetration between the layers that we cannot see from the photos above and that alone is a major serious problem. Then I see in the second photo that the hull is indented in badly. Obviously that hull took a major hit. We cannot determine the damage to the inside of the hull and that alone has compromised the integrity of the hull as well as the tank itself.

The best advice is to walk away. As a previous adjuster before going into the sailboat industry full time, I would total the boat out. Sure you can get someone to hopefully repair but the problem is more weight with glass being added not to mention the integrity of the hull and ballast tank. I would advise again walk away

Dave Condon
 
May 24, 2004
7,129
CC 30 South Florida
Yikes, that is sure a serious candidate for the scrap yard. Anything can be repaired but uncertainty about how the job is done would rule it out for me. It is a structural and safety issue.
 

Karyon

.
Jun 8, 2004
171
Hunter 23.5 Red deer, Alberta
Well the boat was on its mooring ball last night, and this morning the cabin was still above water and she was bone dry inside , we motored it about a mile to the launch and put her up on the trailer, water was pouring out of that hole. That thing will be in dry dock for a long time.
 

Karyon

.
Jun 8, 2004
171
Hunter 23.5 Red deer, Alberta
So that boat got fixed and it looks like new . They had to cut back to where the balsa core was dry
I'm going to help the owner launch her on Saturday we will see how she sails and if she is water tight.
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