I recently took possession of a 1978 Oday 23 that had water laying in the hull and cabin for several years. Naturally, the interior bulk heads rotted from the bottom, but, I am more concerned with what damage could have been done to the hull through freezing and thawing. Is the hull double walled with reinforcing ribs? If yes are they wood? what should I do to investigate before I put her in the water?
Hull Damage
- Thread starter Jack Evans
- Start date
Hull on the 1978 O'DAY 23, like all O'Days of that era, is solid fiberglass (cloth and resin, no core material). The hull liner, which forms the base for the cabin interior is a separate molded part, bonded with a fiberglass putty (usually) in spots to the inside of the hull. I think it may also be tabbed to the hull in places with fiberglass cloth tape and resin. I don't know of any reinforcing ribs, but someone who owns a 23 of that vintage can verify.
Thank you for the quick and reassuring response! I will be dropping it in the water soon to see if there are any leaks and, will check for any "sponginess" around the keel. Some have said there may have been wood ribs or stiffeners that could have rotted away making the hull a little soft against the water.
I think the 23 used the hull liner instead of any ribs, but if there are any ribs, based on my 1979 DS II, O'Day used foam to create the ribs (well, they go fore and aft and so are actually stringers) then several layers of fiberglass over the foam, the fiberglass is what creates the strength of these stringers, the foam is more or less just there to provide a mold.
I think the only wood would be cabin bulkheads, posts and the transom might have wood under the fiberglass as I've seen others cut this area out from the inside and replace the wood. The topside areas of the deck have some balsa core in areas that can be spongy walking on.
I rebuild a 23 that sat for four years full of water. It would have been better off had the owner put a hole in it with an ax. (easy to fix) Anyway. You can not sail the boat without the bulkheads. They are an important structural part of the boat. the rigging places big loads on the boat. Without the bulkheads it will fold like a taco. I would not put it in the water.
Agree with Panta- the bulkheads are there for a reason. I have 25, and was amazed to find that there are 6 sheets of 4x8 ply needed to replace all the wood in one! Galley alone is three. Be careful of those spongy areas. If they are around the tabernacle, you will have to cut it all out and replace. Relatively easy to do, if you are handy, but it has to be done right.
Thank you for the feedback and quick response. I was nervous about the hull being either a balsa wood or foam sandwich that could have been damaged by freezing, thawing and rotting.
Thanks for the warning! My plan was to float it with no mast/ no rigging just to see how well it hold water OUT. I have seen it hold water IN. At any rate, I realize that I can't rig it until I have rebuilt the two bulkhead sections as that's where the chain plates anchor after they pass through the canopy. Which , of course, begets another question: Is there any way to seal the slot where the chain plate penetrates the canopy? And yes, it is a little spongy in some areas , I will have to take a closer look to see if the tabernacle is impacted. Again, thanks everyone, this has been a lot of help!
Most seem to recommend butyle tape, also 3M 5200 is what local sailors told me to use.
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/incom--butyl-caulking-tape--P015730286
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/3m--...ane-adhesive-sealant-1oz--9384629?recordNum=1
As far as seeing her float, if she holds water in then the reverse is probably true. If there are any below waterline through holes for sink drains, head discharge and head water intake I would remove them all and patch them with fiberglass. I have 3 on my 25 and next winter haul out they are all gone so I never have to worry about leaks.
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/incom--butyl-caulking-tape--P015730286
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/3m--...ane-adhesive-sealant-1oz--9384629?recordNum=1
As far as seeing her float, if she holds water in then the reverse is probably true. If there are any below waterline through holes for sink drains, head discharge and head water intake I would remove them all and patch them with fiberglass. I have 3 on my 25 and next winter haul out they are all gone so I never have to worry about leaks.
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Thanks, that's kind of the way I was thinking, just nervous about sinking effort before I had assurance. Anyway, once I get going I will just have to fix whatever's broken, including any leaks. Thanks for the heads up about all of the ancillary openings below the waterline!
My O'day 25 originally came with a marine head with a direct overboard discharge. This is not allowed in lakes and was removed by the previous owner because setting up a holding tank and such was not an expense he wanted to do when a camp toilet works just fine for day sailing. There are 2 sinks on my boat also, the starboard one across from the toilet has a discharge overboard also but it is above the water line. The sink in the aft end of the cabin has a discharge below the waterline center line aft of the keel. Right now I'm in good shape as all 3 have been upgrade and maintained by the original long term owner and none of them have leaks or issues. So this season all the valves are shut off and I just check them every time on the boat. Really on a 25' boat I have no idea why you would need the added complexity of the multiply sinks and such so we plan to remove the sink next to the head, make this a closet / effective storage area and then rout the aft sink overboard discharge above the waterline instead of below.
Good luck and keep us updated.
Good luck and keep us updated.
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Probably for the same reason at home you have a sink in the bathroom- so you don't wash your hands in the kitchen sink where you have dishes and prep food and risk contamination with nasty whatevers came out of your body. You DO wash hands after using the bathroom, don't you? The same reason you do not use your boat's fresh water system be used to pump out the head- to avoid cross-contamination with the water supply.
I might consider moving the water pump/faucet over to the same side as the head, mount a folding shelf above the head, then mount the water faucet from the original sink to that shelf and either install a small sink in the shelf that would drain via a small tube/hose to the head bowl or better (since you have self-contained head with limited waste capacity) a simple small dishpan that can be removed to empty the water into the galley sink or simply overboard. Then you still have a small sink to wash hands in after using the head, but no need for a drain thru-hull. That should keep the resale value and add a unique touch to your boat. That shelf would simply fold up out of the way of using the head. That was common practice on older boats as well as in roomettes on trains. O'DAY 23 used a sink located above the head on a sliding track to move it out for use, then tuck away behind head for more room (slid into space that I think was a hanging locker behind head on the 25?)
Of course, final possibility........ and least $$$ while still maintaining hygene, buy a package of germ-killing hand wipes and keep it by the head. Wipe hands with a towelette, then dispose of In wastebasket, quick and simple, yet still good hygene! <GRIN!>
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Neat idea, I love the cleaver use of small spaces for sure. So this was for the OP originally has he seemed to have some concerns about the boat not keeping water out and planned to put her in the water to test. I was just pointing out the below waterline ideas I have for the future. The head sink drain isn't really an issue at all to me as it is above the waterline and gray water discharge is fine as far as I know. The entire story is that the head sink currently does not have a facet or waterline to it, it was actually being used for a microwave oven since the previous owners liked camping out on the boat at the dock. Right now our plans this year are to learn a lot and enjoy nice day sails only. If it isn't sunny and warm the wife isn't going out! I'm pretty sure our routine will be depart mid morning, have a nice day of sailing and swimming and return in time for happy hour at Somewhere on the Lake (http://www.somewhere2b.com/) next to our marine!
BTW, if your bulkheads are rotted at the bottom from water, your compression post is probably also- I would take a good look at that. Mine was when I redid all my woodwork; had to make a new one out of an oak 2x4 . It needs a rabbet along the port head side edge, and is angled on the bottom about an inch so it can be stepped into the socket, bedded in thickened poly.