cracked companionway corner

[chris4837]

Probably typical after any used boat purchase, I'm finding lots of little issues with my '81 Catalina 25. The most recent is finding a crack in the lower port corner of the companionway bulkhead. The crack has displacement, and the companionway step is noticeably lower on the starboard side. When measured it looks to be 5/8". I supported a bottle jack with cribbing on the hull and jacked the starboard side from the corner inside the cabin to see how much effort it took. Looks like it moved back with the jack with some effort, and all the surrounding items line up much better, but now I have the issue of repair. I'm skeptical that a full fiberglass repair on the crack will support the breakage. I'm wondering if a semi permanent post under the starboard corner would be acceptable. Or maybe I should just pour a whiskey sour and pretend the crack doesn't exist. Has anyone else ever see this, and/or seen repairs?

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

Not familiar with the model, but it makes me wonder if the boat had been dropped or perhaps knocked off it's stand? I assume you have searched for more things cracked or out of alignment. It might also have been a manufacturing defect. I think you should consult a good fiberglass repair guy about this... if you don't know one, ask local boat dealers who they use for warranty repairs. Usually that will lead you to one who's reputable and that knows how to solve problems.
With regard to your question about glassing in a post: That would likely result in a new stress point or "hard spot" that will not flex with the rest of the boat. A partial bulkhead might be better.

 

[kloudie1]

An option might be to fab from aluminum or stainless, a nautical looking "U" shape to cover both interior sides and the bottom of the companionway opening.. Jack it into shape, do a surface repair of the crack .. then bolt on the "U" with through bolts every four inches or so .. ya may have to modify the wash board holders.. and definitely round that corner (and the other side too) in the fiberglass and in the possible brace to lessen the stress concentration. Something like 3/8 stainless (316 L) strap about 3 inches wide would probably do it. http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=677&step=4&showunits=inches&id=27&top_cat=1
If ya don't have metalworking stuff/shops available, a 12:1 edge tapered, full thickness epoxy/fiberglass repair would be stronger than original.. Looks like someone drilled a hole at a former crack end to (unsussfully) try to stop it from running..
EDIT: if ya have it fabricated, make sure that the weld shop uses 316 L electrodes for the weld of the sides to the bottom..
Welcome aboard, Chris.. and good luck with the fix.

 

[chris4837]

My thoughts were to fabricate and epoxy a 'bulkhead' or 'load spreader' on the inside of the hull (where the cribbing is supporting the jack in the photo) using epoxy encapsulated hardwood. On top I'd screw something like a 3x3 SS pad, and something similar on the bottom of the corner of the companionway. Between the two I'd fix a screwjack apparatus that will provide support to the companionway corner, but will not be rigidly attached to the SS, so it should be more compliant with respect to boat flexing.

 

[jrussnogle]

I'd contact Mike Brindisi at Select Sail in Omaha. He's a Cat dealer and has been one of the best boat reapair experts in the area for years. Great guy, great advice, fair prices.

 

[chris4837]

JR, are you a slipholder at Branched Oak?

 

[eaststorm]

chris4837:

A boat of that vintage will likely have many "stress" cracks develop in the fiberglass, some deeper and more extensive than others. Sometimes it is due to a poor wetting out process of the resin into the glass. Just look around the boat in the lockers, bilge and by the hull/deck joint, compression post base...I am sure you will see some poor tabbing.
One question, do the companionway door slats still fit well laterally? If too much "slop" laterally, the entire cabin/interior pan at the companionway may be torqued. It is still fixable, but you must be accepting that things just won't fit as well as in a newer boat.
If not much lateral "slop" of the doors, just do a repair, minimally widening out the crack ( to visualize and clean off the surfaces), then filleting with gradual layers of west system and some glass cloth.. I have used West System epoxy and fillers to do a number of repairs on my 1981 C-25. You can even make a supporting "splint" on the cabinside/ underside of the companionway step. This splint should be glassed in, and then painted with epoxy paint after the season. You want to see how it holds up under flex/stress of sailing prior to covering with paint.
Others posting here will tell you their way....just pick what works for you.