I am looking to buy a Hunter 34 1983 model. It looks loke a large repair had been done on the port side at the waterline, like the boat got T-Boned in a race. I got this reply from the company handling the deal. Is this a reasonable explanation? The seller's broker said he met with the fiberglass repair person that does all the repair work for the boat yard where he owner stores the boat. The evaluation of the hull area in question is that it is a fabrication defect since there is no adjacent visible repair. The repair person said that in those years some boats were removed too early from the mould and when the interior structural members are set in place , "the shell will belly" in some areas. The broker was shown that the starboard side has a feature similar to the port side note I have not seen the other bump. Has anybody had a similar bump on the waterline mid ship and a similar explanation??
hull repair or manfacturing mold bumps
- Thread starter hightower
- Start date
- Status
DON'T do it !!!
It doesn't sound like a good idea. If there was some kind of manufacturing problem and it had to be repaired on one side, than I bet it will also need to be repaired on the other side, or where else... Don't even want to start guessing where. There are plenty of older Hunter 34's, which "did not have a manufacturing problem... Keep looking and you will easily find one... If there was a some kind of damage that was repaired, and it was done well, than this is not so bad, but say NO to known manufacturing problem, delamination, buckling or whatever...
It doesn't sound like a good idea. If there was some kind of manufacturing problem and it had to be repaired on one side, than I bet it will also need to be repaired on the other side, or where else... Don't even want to start guessing where. There are plenty of older Hunter 34's, which "did not have a manufacturing problem... Keep looking and you will easily find one... If there was a some kind of damage that was repaired, and it was done well, than this is not so bad, but say NO to known manufacturing problem, delamination, buckling or whatever...
Bumps
My 1983 h34 had hull "defects" that seem to be there from the factory but they were not near the water line. I did note they were worse on the port side. They two surveyors involved in both my purchase and sale of this vessel were not concerned about it. (they both owner similiar Hunters)
My 1983 h34 had hull "defects" that seem to be there from the factory but they were not near the water line. I did note they were worse on the port side. They two surveyors involved in both my purchase and sale of this vessel were not concerned about it. (they both owner similiar Hunters)
Two things;
Besides the bogus sounding local experts opinion, these and most boats are still in the mold when they get their inner grid spiders installed. They have to. Just imagine what would happen to a thin modern hull if it came out of the mold without the inner liner. It would collapse. It could never be assembled, much less done so without the bow and stern looking similar to each other. Second, my '86 H34, nor any H34 I've seen has such flaws. Again, without looking, the opinion seems in error. I'm betting on collision or boatyard damage. (like falling off of a cradle)
Besides the bogus sounding local experts opinion, these and most boats are still in the mold when they get their inner grid spiders installed. They have to. Just imagine what would happen to a thin modern hull if it came out of the mold without the inner liner. It would collapse. It could never be assembled, much less done so without the bow and stern looking similar to each other. Second, my '86 H34, nor any H34 I've seen has such flaws. Again, without looking, the opinion seems in error. I'm betting on collision or boatyard damage. (like falling off of a cradle)
Specifics
I've seem h34's with "dimples" on the sides right in the area where the hardware attached to the hull that holds the rigging on. I believe there is a piece of angle iron glasses inside there and it you pull on it hard enough and long enough it will deform the hull a bit. My hull appeared a bit wavy on the port side high behind the forward sink and closet area. The surveyor thought it may have been laid over but there was no evidence of any gelocat repair (and that area creaked a bit when sailing in heavy air)
I've seem h34's with "dimples" on the sides right in the area where the hardware attached to the hull that holds the rigging on. I believe there is a piece of angle iron glasses inside there and it you pull on it hard enough and long enough it will deform the hull a bit. My hull appeared a bit wavy on the port side high behind the forward sink and closet area. The surveyor thought it may have been laid over but there was no evidence of any gelocat repair (and that area creaked a bit when sailing in heavy air)
Well, that area you describe Daryl is forward of
the angle brackets that the shrouds bolt too. Besides, the brackets are free floating and self centering. All of their load is taken by the spider, not the hull. On a boat like mine, with known history since new, there are no hull deflects. I'm still guessing a fender bender.
the angle brackets that the shrouds bolt too. Besides, the brackets are free floating and self centering. All of their load is taken by the spider, not the hull. On a boat like mine, with known history since new, there are no hull deflects. I'm still guessing a fender bender.
Thanks for the info. The boat has been in the NY,NJ,CT area for a few years. I'll ask around the yards to see if I can find more history and/or who did the repair. Other than cosmetics are there any other pitfalls??
Welllllll, Pitfalls?
That's a loaded question!
What Daryl says his experience was, and mine IS, are two different things. He had rudder problems, I haven't. He had leaks. Mine did to, sorta. Mine doesn't leak, now. But, I had a huge leak after a hurricane. You know these boats have an iron keel, right? I find that very annoying. Maintenance time in the boat yard is longer and expensive. (time is money) Oh hell, check out my web site. I've included some information.
That's a loaded question!
What Daryl says his experience was, and mine IS, are two different things. He had rudder problems, I haven't. He had leaks. Mine did to, sorta. Mine doesn't leak, now. But, I had a huge leak after a hurricane. You know these boats have an iron keel, right? I find that very annoying. Maintenance time in the boat yard is longer and expensive. (time is money) Oh hell, check out my web site. I've included some information. - Status