Hull Construction- C22

[Eddie G.]

I recently purchased a 1976 C22 that was in need of some TLC. I noticed that there was some damage to the surface of the hull above the water line- looks like the boat was moored without fenders for a spell. It appears that the damage is minor, and might be limited to just some gelcoat work, but there is some fishy sounds coming from the area when firm hand pressure is applied. A friend of mine that worked for C&C yachts had a look at it and wanted to know if there was any balsa or other type of core material used during the original construction.  I want to bring this baby back from mediocrity this winter and see to some repairs if they are neccessary. Are there any people with experience that know what's up?

 

[Steve K.]

Re: Hull Construction and The C-22

Eddie:I'm not sure of the area that you are speaking of on the hull, but I don't think there is coring on the sides of the hull, above the water line. Some of the other owners may correct me on this.I mainly wanted to point you to my web page, as it sounds like the work I'm doing on my boat is what you are planning for yours. It is a work in progress and as I finish steps in the restoration, I post pictures and information about how I did them. There are also some links to some other pages that should be very helpful to you. The URL is .......http://sites.netscape.net/stevek47usa/c22projectBookmark it and check back once in a while as more info will be added Best of Breezes to You and YoursSteve

 

[LaDonna Bubak - Planet Catalina]

No coring

I'm not aware of any Catalinas with coring in the hull itself. The deck yes, but the hull no. What kind of sounds? Are you tapping it? Pushing on it? Does it pop in, like a car hood? Can you see the actual fiberglass thru the damage? If so, this could be an indication of a void in the glass. Definitely repairable - not an optional repair either. You MUST fix this! You'll have to determine the size of the void, marking the area w/a pencil or something. Drill some small holes at the top of the area (depending how big it is) - I would try to do this on the inside, if possible, but probably isn't. Then squirt as much West Systems epoxy in there as it'll take. You'll be surprised at how much it'll absorb - actually, the epoxy is "wicking" into the void itself. Keep on squirting (the kits usually come with a syringe). After you've filled the entire void & it's dried for a couple days, go back & see if the same sound exists. It shouldn't.Of course the above instructions are only if you determine you do have a void. Only explanation I can think of. Anyone else?LaDonna

 

[Ted]

No Coring . . .

The hull is just a shell, not a laminate. The thickness is about 3/16" to 3/8". Stress areas are thicker.Hope this helps.Ted

 

[Eddie G.]

Response to those who offered assistance...

Thanks very much for the info. The damage that I mentioned was minor- it took quite a bit of pressure to make the sounds that I mentioned. I would bet that the sounds were caused by the hull flexing into contact with the interior liner( I'm gentle, but sometimes I don't know my own strength!) This repair appears to be cosmetic only- gelcoat will do the trick. My thanks to Ted, LaDonna and Steve. I really liked your ongoing tech site, Steve. I will visit it often and pick up advice through your experiences.