hunter 170 acp cracks and delamination

[mparker007]

i own a 2002 hunter 170 and have repaired several small cracks in the hull over the years as per instructions from Hunter. i have read the many posts about Hunter bankrupcy and probllems others have had with cracks and separation of hull from underlying foam core. this delamination on my boat has progressed rapidly as of late. my question is two part. is there any way to repair the hull separation? i presume there is not. if not, how do i determine when the cracks and hull separation are a safety issue, like mast falling down? thanksm for your help. mike

 

[Dave Groshong]

Hi Mike, send me a reminder on Monday, there is a "prescribed" protocol for APC repair that I don't have here at home.

dave@sailboatowners.com

 

[txjim]

The repair process is uploaded here: http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/downloads.php?do=cat&id=6

Look for the AGP document

Seperation between the plastic and foam is not serious as there is no real structural need for the two to remain attached. If you wish, you can drill holes into the plastic, inject epoxy and weight down the area. West Systems has a G-flex kit that includes syringes which I've successfully used in the past.
http://shop.hunterowners.com/prod.php?13522/G⁄flex+Epoxy

Don't get discouraged with the cracks, there is a solution for most of the problems. I recently took the plunge and applied a layer of fiberglass over the footwell and forward bow storage area. Afterwards had an auto paint store match the color in a 2-part pant and the results came out quite well. Let me know if you have any specific questions (IM is best to make sure I see it), I've repaired everything from ripped out motor mounts to sagging decks and still love the boat.

 

[patti hogan]

I have a 170 sitting in the driveway with a huge crack from side to side close to where the motor mount is. My husband has repaired a lot of small cracks but since this ACP product is no longer used (wonder why?) can you replace the entire deck of a 170?

 

[mparker007]

I have a 170 sitting in the driveway with a huge crack from side to side close to where the motor mount is. My husband has repaired a lot of small cracks but since this ACP product is no longer used (wonder why?) can you replace the entire deck of a 170?

sorry, beyond my experience. others say to repair crack as with smaller cracks and then fiberglass over the repair for larger cracks. dnt know if that will work with stress caused by motor. michael parker

 

[Dlshow]

Thanks for the info

I have sailed Hobies for over 40 years. I've just got to old to right one single handed. 2 years ago I bought a very nice Hunter 22. I sailed it for a couple of years in hopes that my wife would like it better than the Hobie "flying hulls" thing and she still didn't like it. So, I just sold the Hunter 22 and bought a 1999 Hunter 170. The price was so good I couldn't resist ($2,600). I like the idea that I can pull it with the van and the set up is fast and easy. The design really intrigues me. I haven't had a chance to sail it since we have been having outrageous winds in Indiana. It does have a 12" crack that has been repaired and a few very small ones that I will work on. I didn't notice the deck separation when I bought it. Your POSITIVE COMMENTS are such an encouragement after reading all the "DOOM AND GLOOM posts on the internet about this boat. I would probably be upset if I had purchased a new 170 and had the cracking problem. I am game to take on the repairs and really appreciate all the information you have provided. This boat is 13 years old and the finish is still like new except for a few scrapes and striping tape damage. I can't wait to test take her out. Any info you have on repairs would be hugely appreciated. You have made my day. I've never had a Spinnaker but am curious about adding one. There is a 170 spinnaker for sale for $400 (obo) I may look into and then find my own rigging. If you ahve any pics of your repairs I'd love to see them. Thanks again!

The repair process is uploaded here: http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/downloads.php?do=cat&id=6

Look for the AGP document

Seperation between the plastic and foam is not serious as there is no real structural need for the two to remain attached. If you wish, you can drill holes into the plastic, inject epoxy and weight down the area. West Systems has a G-flex kit that includes syringes which I've successfully used in the past.
http://shop.hunterowners.com/prod.php?13522/G⁄flex+Epoxy

Don't get discouraged with the cracks, there is a solution for most of the problems. I recently took the plunge and applied a layer of fiberglass over the footwell and forward bow storage area. Afterwards had an auto paint store match the color in a 2-part pant and the results came out quite well. Let me know if you have any specific questions (IM is best to make sure I see it), I've repaired everything from ripped out motor mounts to sagging decks and still love the boat.

 

[txjim]

Glad I could help, Dlshow! I would like to expand on the delamination issue as it can manifest itself a couple ways. Excessive flexing can lead to deck cracks which are difficult to attack if they get too large. If you have a 12" crack, it's likely the best solution is fiberglass as epoxy can only go so far in bonding the surfaces. If it's simply a case of the plastic appearing loose over the structural foam, the epoxy cure should take care of things.

Fiberglassing the deck is pretty straightforward if this is your solution. Remove the anti-skid tape and use epoxy to glue cracks and fill gaps. It does not have to be a perfect repair as this is needed mostly to assure you have a flat surface for the fiberglass matt. Makes wet-out much easier. I used a single layer of glass with West System epoxy that covered the deck continuing 4 inches up the sides of the seats and an inch or two up the center tunnel. I did not extend the entire distance to the stern.

After appropriate filling/sanding/etc... I painted with 2-part auto paint matched from a left over piece of plastic from a previous repair (although it's a pretty easy easy color to match using base white colors). I purchased replacement anti-skid from a safety material company but I now see that this site sells the Hunter replacement part. My objective was not a perfect repair but it came out very well. The boat has been in some interesting waters since the repair and came through with flying colors! (see my photos at http://www.texas200.com/2012/index.htm)


If you have a picture of the crack, I'm sure we can get some good options from the 170 experts on this site. Also feel free to send me a private message through this site with contact info if you need more information.

I suspect you are looking at the spinnaker listed on E-bay, it tempted me as well. Remember that the 170 Spinnaker kit sold by Hunter included a bow pulpit along with appropriate hardware and running rigging. A copy of the owners manual is here http://s2.sailboatowners.com/images/kb/pdf/1116.pdf , take a look at page 13 for the kit. My home lake is known for shifting winds so a whisker pole is a better option for me, the Forespar ADJ 4-8 is the appropriate size for the standard jib. I spent 15 years on the foredeck of a Santana 30/30 manhandling chutes so I miss having the option but very happy with wing-on-wing performance of the 170.

Welcome to the club!

 

[pcupach]

Do you have a spinnaker kit for your 170 that you would like to sell?

 

[Striped_Bass]

Deck Crack questions

I've repaired cracks large and small over the years using the Devcon Plastic Welder that Hunter recommends. Did the West system epoxy bind to the plastic as well as you expected?

This crack is a new type for me, in the deck, proximal to the center ridge and a little more jagged than I've seen in the past. It's about 12 inches long in an area that had been softening and flexing a bit more than the other side of the center ridge, so I'm not surprised it gave way. It sits about half way between the end of the centerboard slot and the end of the center ridge. And the break means the deck side of the crack sits a little lower than the ridge side.

Do you have any suggestions about repairing it? I'm familiar with using the fiberglass mat on my motor mount, but I'd like to add some support under this crack if possible before I fiberglass over the top.

Do you have any pictures you could send/post?

Thanks, Chris

Glad I could help, Dlshow! I would like to expand on the delamination issue as it can manifest itself a couple ways. Excessive flexing can lead to deck cracks which are difficult to attack if they get too large. If you have a 12" crack, it's likely the best solution is fiberglass as epoxy can only go so far in bonding the surfaces. If it's simply a case of the plastic appearing loose over the structural foam, the epoxy cure should take care of things.

Fiberglassing the deck is pretty straightforward if this is your solution. Remove the anti-skid tape and use epoxy to glue cracks and fill gaps. It does not have to be a perfect repair as this is needed mostly to assure you have a flat surface for the fiberglass matt. Makes wet-out much easier. I used a single layer of glass with West System epoxy that covered the deck continuing 4 inches up the sides of the seats and an inch or two up the center tunnel. I did not extend the entire distance to the stern.

After appropriate filling/sanding/etc... I painted with 2-part auto paint matched from a left over piece of plastic from a previous repair (although it's a pretty easy easy color to match using base white colors). I purchased replacement anti-skid from a safety material company but I now see that this site sells the Hunter replacement part. My objective was not a perfect repair but it came out very well. The boat has been in some interesting waters since the repair and came through with flying colors! (see my photos at http://www.texas200.com/2012/index.htm)


If you have a picture of the crack, I'm sure we can get some good options from the 170 experts on this site. Also feel free to send me a private message through this site with contact info if you need more information.

I suspect you are looking at the spinnaker listed on E-bay, it tempted me as well. Remember that the 170 Spinnaker kit sold by Hunter included a bow pulpit along with appropriate hardware and running rigging. A copy of the owners manual is here http://s2.sailboatowners.com/images/kb/pdf/1116.pdf , take a look at page 13 for the kit. My home lake is known for shifting winds so a whisker pole is a better option for me, the Forespar ADJ 4-8 is the appropriate size for the standard jib. I spent 15 years on the foredeck of a Santana 30/30 manhandling chutes so I miss having the option but very happy with wing-on-wing performance of the 170.

Welcome to the club!

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Whenever a crack appears, the first thing to do is drill a 1/8inch hole at both ends to keep it from spreading or extending further.

dave condon