hole in boat - got ideas?

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tom h

When I go the Irwin 37 centerboarder, there was a big CLUNK everytime I turned the boat with the centerboard down. Then the water started coming in at the rate of 55 gallons a day. Never more though. The pressure must have equalized. First haulout I removed the Centerboard to find the pin holding it in was perfect, the CB hole wore to an hourglass, and cracks at four points in the bilge. Picture this.. a tomato juice can, cut lengthwise, laid face down on either side of the CB trunk. This was fiberglassed over and had fiberglass on the inside, and that is where the pin hole was bored. The cracks were where the can touched the hull and CB trunk, hence 4 cracks. I ground down the area from the inside to the can (I am assuming it was a stainless can. I cannot tell as I couldn't grind it down past the can to see.) So now I can see the crack and I filled all four up with thickened epoxy. After it dried I filled the bilge with water to cover the area and connected a vacuum, to blow, outside on the hull side. For the inside CB side, I simply duct taped it. The vacuum provided pressure and I found three of the areas were repaired. On the one that still bubbled, I removed the water and reground the area, then glassed it again. Add water and try it again and the bubbles appeared again, but forther down line. SO I removed the water and added more epoxy, filled it again... no bubbles. I put he boat in the water and half way through the season there was water in the bilge on the problem side. I mopped out all the water and could see a small area whee the water was coming in. But this time, the bilge only filled with about an inchof water, then it stayed at that level. Now I want to take the boat to Florida. Two people told me to fix the hole, otherwise barneys will get in thre and as they grow, will open the crack even larger. The only way I could think of fixing the problem is to remove the pin and so, the centerboard. Bore out the 1" pin hole on one side only to 1 1/2" or 2". At two inches, i would have 1/2" around the pin. Then, I reinsert the pin, which was coated with wax or anti-something. It will be perfectly positioned as it woudl go through the other side and so align perfectly. Then I seal the trunk side with duct tape, and then push thickened epoxy into and around the pin from the hull side. When it cures, I coudl remove the pin and do the other side. My reasoning: This would repair the hole from the outside in, rather than what I have now. Even though 3 areas don't leak, what I did was seal the crack from the inside, which means the crack is still there on the outside. So, any comments? Suggestions? Any truth that barneys can grow in the cracks and litteraly blow up the hull from expansion?
 
L

lionel

irwin list

You should post your message on the Irwin list @ sailnet The list has a lot of experience , all the answers , and never failed to help me Allorshas Irwin 40 CB
 

LloydB

.
Jan 15, 2006
927
Macgregor 22 Silverton
don't leave yet

when you find out come back and let us know whats up. btw why only Irwin? Some thoughts: most all the holes I've seen in fiberglass were of the nature that the hole side is well defined and the back side only a part of the underlying cracks can be seen and once removal of damage is began it is difficult to tell if there is separation of layers. I've bee told that hard corners focus stress, does it look like it would help to fair out around the corners of the "tomato can" to prevent future cracking? your description of the clunky turns and hour glass centerboard hole make me think that something is missing from your CB or CB trunk that should stop the excess play. when i got guppies i was made to understand that repairing the fish tank from the dry side was only temporary at best. when you find out why your boat will only sink 55 gallons please explain thanks Lloyd btw what do you call that thing that looks like a tomato can?
 

LloydB

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Jan 15, 2006
927
Macgregor 22 Silverton
don't leave yet

when you find out come back and let us know whats up. btw why only Irwin? Some thoughts: most all the holes I've seen in fiberglass were of the nature that the hole side is well defined and the back side only a part of the underlying cracks can be seen and once removal of damage is began it is difficult to tell if there is separation of layers. I've bee told that hard corners focus stress, does it look like it would help to fair out around the corners of the "tomato can" to prevent future cracking? your description of the clunky turns and hour glass centerboard hole make me think that something is missing from your CB or CB trunk that should stop the excess play. when i got guppies i was made to understand that repairing the fish tank from the dry side was only temporary at best. when you find out why your boat will only sink 55 gallons please explain thanks Lloyd btw what do you call that thing that looks like a tomato can?
 
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tom habanek

not sure

I ground down the area as best I could before I filled it in. What I call it is %$@*^#$!(*&^%$. Great call on the repairing of the fish tank from the outside. Best way to describe what needs to be done. Not one Epoxy company can give me as product to fill the crack. I will bore out the hole, reinstall the pin,a nd fill it back in. The problem was the centerboard slammed when down. That slamming torqued the pin which cracked the corner joints and TA-DA, Houston, we have a problem. I thought of using a product called Creeping something-or-other but that company said to fix it the right way as their product wouldn't work. And several people confirmed, if you don't fix it, Barneys will get in and create havoc.
 
T

tom habanek

not sure

I ground down the area as best I could before I filled it in. What I call it is %$@*^#$!(*&^%$. Great call on the repairing of the fish tank from the outside. Best way to describe what needs to be done. Not one Epoxy company can give me as product to fill the crack. I will bore out the hole, reinstall the pin,a nd fill it back in. The problem was the centerboard slammed when down. That slamming torqued the pin which cracked the corner joints and TA-DA, Houston, we have a problem. I thought of using a product called Creeping something-or-other but that company said to fix it the right way as their product wouldn't work. And several people confirmed, if you don't fix it, Barneys will get in and create havoc.
 
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