Hi, I'm new to sailing and considering the purchase of a 1986 25.5 hunter as our first boat. The boat appears to be in good condition. However I noticed when I step on certain parts of the deck, such as the cockpit storage locker tops and some parts of the cockpit floor, I hear a cracking sound as if the fiberglass is giving slightly but I don't feel it giving only the cracking sound. I can walk over the same spots and it will crack and may not crack again - ie doesn't crack consistently. Is this normal or is this called a soft spot?
Dry Cracking sound when stepping on fiberglass lockers
- Thread starter billynsi
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Cracking or Creaking?
Locker lids bed down on 1" diameter rubber buffers. They also have a downward facing flange all round the outer edge. It is normal for these rubbers to compress after time which lets the lid flange contact the main deck moulding and the result is a loud and worrying creaking if one walks on them. It is easily cured by fitting new buffers.
However this is not cracking. Also no sound at all should occur elsewhere other than on locker lids. Locker lids and decks are usually stiffened by encapsulating 1" end grain balsa wood into the lid between inner and outer fibreglass skins.
Any cracking noises sound as if it could be the start of delamination, though this is unlikely unless the laminate also shows other signs of failure or damage.
A surveyor should quickly confirm this one way or the other.
For your own peace of mind have a survey done on the whole boat.
Locker lids bed down on 1" diameter rubber buffers. They also have a downward facing flange all round the outer edge. It is normal for these rubbers to compress after time which lets the lid flange contact the main deck moulding and the result is a loud and worrying creaking if one walks on them. It is easily cured by fitting new buffers.
However this is not cracking. Also no sound at all should occur elsewhere other than on locker lids. Locker lids and decks are usually stiffened by encapsulating 1" end grain balsa wood into the lid between inner and outer fibreglass skins.
Any cracking noises sound as if it could be the start of delamination, though this is unlikely unless the laminate also shows other signs of failure or damage.
A surveyor should quickly confirm this one way or the other.
For your own peace of mind have a survey done on the whole boat.
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