146 surface cracks
Lamar,Thanks for the "heads up"!Back when I had the 216 and frequented these forums, I recall folks with the H170 mentioning some cracks developing around the centerboard trunk.I don't recall hearing anything about the 146, however.I had considered the lack of the fiberglass "spider-webbing" to be one of the strengths of this composite construction.I'd be sad to learn that there is a degenerative sort of malady for the plastic boats.No one has come forward as yet with a 146 to trade for the JY15. Of course, other than mentioning the possibility here, I've made no other effort to advertise my desiresShift gears: The reason for moving away from the larger boats is that the marina where we once kept the 216 rigged on the trailer is going condo. This is happening all over Florida.Access to the waterfront is rapidly becoming the realm of the "privileged class", and those who can exist under staggering debt loads.I have no where other than my side/front yard at the house where a larger boat can reside, and my wife still sticks out her lower lip when she looks at the steam-iron shaped patch of dead grass where the Potter was sitting.So, until something else develops in the area, I'm restricted to boats that can slip into the back yard behind the fence, out of sight.BTW, the thing I miss most about the 216 is it's ability to launch in VERY shallow water. Being able to leave the rudder completely out and just drive the boat out of the harbor under power made launch/retreival quite easy.The boat ramp at the marina/condo has been trashed by stinkpot operators "power loading" their boats, which has created a tall berm on the bottom just a few feet beyond the end of the concrete rampA guy who has a J22 and a Corsair 24 at the marina has the J22 up for sale because he can't get it in the water any more.The Sailtime time-share program on Hunter 33's and 36's has just come into our immediate area.It looked like a GREAT deal at first, until you realize that as a working couple, we would only have access to the boat about twice a month for half-day sessions during the weekends when we wanted to sail. We can rent a Hunter 27 locally for $200 or so for a full day when we want to, so there is no need for the $2500 up-front fee the Sailtime program demands.The program is good for retired people, or those whose work schedules are more flexible than that of a school teacher and a NASA-contractor radio tech!So, living within the limitations of a cruel reality, like everyone else, we sail what we can, when we can.Bob