Hunter 23.5 forestay/pulpit damage

Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
The power boat in the slip next to me came in for a windy docking, panicked when the wind turned him around, gave his boat full throttle, and hit my bow roller and pulpit. He actually hit the pulpit right on the little plate that's welded there to hold the bow navigation light. The light was ripped off, but no damage done to the attachment plate itself.

You can see from the attached photos that looking down the centre line towards the bow, the pulpit is off centre to port side. Where the chain plate rests on the bow, you can see the starboard side is lifted up. The port side is still more or less flush. Looking underneath, you can see the nut on The bolt has been pulled into the fiberglass somewhat. It's always been ugly with lots of cracks around that nut. Nothing seems loose or wobbly, but of course there's the tension of the forestay on it.

My first question is to ask what's in bow fiberglass? Is there a metal backing plate glassed in?

Has this called a caused a structural weakness making it dangerous? Can it be left or I should I get it repaired? I'm inland, in sight of the Rocky Mountains to the west of me. I don't know if there is expertise for this kind of repair here. What would the proper repair be, and any other reasonable repair alternatives? For example, just fashion a backing plate and use a longer bolt? I see that the U-bolts for the shrouds have a backing plate/bar under the gunwale.

The other boater or his insurance company will pay for any repairs.

A big concern of mine is that the sailing season is only three months long here. I had just launched the day before, and this was our first day out on the water. I do not want to lose this season by having my boat sit in the shop, so if it's unsafe to sail I would want to keep it in the water and just motor around and anchor and enjoy the sun and water.

It occurs to me but correct me if I'm wrong, that sailing on the main alone, which this boat does just fine, only puts loads on the shrouds? If anything, being under Sail with the main would push the Mast forward, reducing tension on the forestay?
 

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Mar 29, 2017
576
Hunter 30t 9805 littlecreek
In a case like this u need to feel comfortable with repair find a good rigger or fiberglass repair shop to get an estimate and marina to quote install new LED bow light. Then get fixed right at powerboats expense from repatable company with a lifetime warranty
 
Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
Here's a photo of the bow roller. I think there would have been a lot more damage had he not hit the bow roller first. It was the big metal arch over his boat used to hold water skis and attach the ski rope that hit my boat.

If you're wondering about the funky wooden block used to cantilever and extend the bow roller forward, it came that way when I bought it from the original owner. That chunk of wood got cracked so I'll have to fashion a replacement.
 

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Jan 1, 2006
7,039
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
The official answer is that, yes, his insurance company should pay. You have to get the pulpit fixed for two reasons. 1) In the unlikely event that the pulpit would fail to hold a person on board and there are injuries, you will be held responsible. 2) That stanchion plate on the deck's seal is broken and it will leak. If there is wood core there, or even below there it would be subject to rot. And it appears to be close to the forestay.
Just a bent stanchion or rail I could get along with. Not so much this. You need an insurance adjuster to look at it. And if you don't like what the adjuster has to say hire a surveyor. Litigation is not out of the question.
PS: I don't know what we are looking at in Pic 3 (.....554)?
 
Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
PS: I don't know what we are looking at in Pic 3 (.....554)?
The 3rd photo is the underside of the bow, taken by lying on my back on the dock looking straight up at the underside of the bolt whose head you can see in the 1st photo.
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,760
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Sorry to hear about your issues, too bad the jerk took his incompetence out on you.

Yes, it needs to be repaired, and you're right that he'll pay or his insurance company. Photos, photos, photos and more photos, and of his boat, too. Make up a written report and report it to your insurance company, too. Right now, before you forget the details.

When it needs to get repaired is the next issue. Can you sail the boat? If you don't know, find friends or a prof who can give you advice. On one hand, you could stuff butyl tape or (egads!) silicone in the holes to offset water leakage until you can get it correctly fixed. On the other hand, it's impossible to tell what damage it did to the forestay's security. Only someone who is THERE can even guess.

So, if you can gain some comfort in "possible" use, then maybe. And things won't get fixed right away, as you well know. To get his insurance company to pay, you're gonna have to get an estimate for the work anyway, in which case you'll need the report I told ya to write (!:)!) AND an estimate. The estimator should help you decide what you wanna do between now and when the work starts.

Good luck, you have options, but no one on the internet can or should tell you definitively. ^^^That's what I would do, and it has happened to me. Really.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Sorry to hear your season is in jeopardy. I like your idea of just motoring around for the remainder of the season but I would get the insurance companies involved right away and if they agree to do the repairs in the fall, that would be the best option in my mind.
 
Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
Yes, if people figure it's dangerous even to just motor around with the mast on I'd be willing to take the mast off and leave it in my yard and just motor around for the summer. I'm on a 7 by 1 mile Lake.

As I mentioned, due to where I live and the lack of a serious Marine industry, I'm hoping to find out how the bow is built, and what the proper options would require so I will be better able to tell if the local repair is being done right. Hopefully Crazy Dave Condon will chime in. I also thought of contacting the Hunter Factory to see what they say. I did that before when I needed help on installing a new window. Two marine shops tried and failed because they used the wrong adhesive. One of these was the Hunter dealer in Vancouver when I bought the boat! A factory guy who's installed Windows for 20 years spent 20 minutes on the phone with me telling me step by step how to do it. That was over 15 years ago and the window is still perfect.
 
Apr 8, 2013
205
Hunter 260 Nanaimo
It doesn’t look that bad and if it was his arch that hit you its more of a glancing blow.
the lip under the bow is faired with 5200 and looks rough on most hunter trailer sailors.
their is a plate imbedded their , and their used to be a file on this site that shows them.
if your on Ghost lake . Mike at ghost lake marina would be a good guy to contact. He is familiar with your boat and would be able to put your mind at ease.
 

jviss

.
Feb 5, 2004
6,745
Tartan 3800 20 Westport, MA
I think you should have an insurance adjuster inspect it before you change anything. If you don't have your own insurance, don't necessarily trust his company's adjuster, get independent damage and repair estimates.
 

RitSim

.
Jan 29, 2018
406
Beneteau 411 Branford
I had an insurance claim this year and I involved a rigger right away. I had an immediate problem so the insurance company approved necessary immediate measures. From there, the insurance company hired a surveyor (not an adjuster) to review and approve all of the issues. I'm sure you are establishing a claim this AM with his insurance. You can discuss their process but a rigger is a key part.

It's not clear from your pictures where/how the forestay is attached. Perhaps you can post that info as well (topside and under)

One option if you can't find a local expert is to have your boat picked and trucked. You don't mention the age of your boat but is a total write-off a possibility? In some cases, if a claim approaches 80% of the value, the asset is declared a total loss.
 
Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
It's not clear from your pictures where/how the forestay is attached.

You don't mention the age of your boat but is a total write-off a possibility? In some cases, if a claim approaches 80% of the value, the asset is declared a total loss.
You can see the forestay attachment point in the photo of the bent anchor roller. The forestay of course goes through the furler drum and you can just see it attached to a Tang underneath it. That Tang is welded to the vertical round tube that is part of the pulpit. In front of that round tube, all in one piece, you can see the round head of a single bolt that goes through the bow. I've shown that from both sides and the underside photos show the nut uunderneath.

The blow to the starboard side lifted that plate up a little bit as shown in the photo, and the whole Pulpit is been push towards Port because it's all one piece. You can see how it's offset in the photo taken from behind and looking straight forward towards the bow.

This H23.5 is from 1995. I don't know the current value, but probably not more than USD $8,000? Besides the furler, it has Stern rail seats and a fairly new electric start 9.9 HP Yamaha. I suppose writing off the boat could happen if the repair is too costly as you mentioned. I wonder if it's like when you write off right off a car, that you can take a slightly reduced amount and keep the vehicle and the money? I would maybe just take off the mast and use it as a powerboat LOL.

I've notified my insurance company and they've opened a claim and I should hear from an adjuster in a day or two. The driver of the other boat will notify his insurance company tomorrow.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
@Rick Macdonald
I got your message but lost it. I need you to send a photo of the front of the boat with emphasis on the bow pulpit One more underneath.
Include phone number in the private message as we need to talk. Look carefully at the hull to deck joint for any issues. Not as bad. I can advise on the claim as I use to be an adjuster as well prior to being a sailboat dealer Not as bad as you think
Dave
 
Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
@Crazy Dave Condon

I can I can send you photos in a private message, but they would be the same photos as I have attached to this thread. Can you not see them? One shows the part of the pulpit that is flush with the bow and how it's lifted up maybe three sixteenths of an inch. Another one shows the bolt nut from the bottom, that looks like it's been pulled up a bit into the fiberglass. Another view from the Mast looking forward shows how the whole Pulpit has been pushed a couple of inches towards port side.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
It is important to check the hull to deck joint as I want you to check. If nothing then it will be easier to repair. Then send me your number in a private message. I am on the east coast
 
Jun 2, 2004
649
Hunter 23.5 Calgary, Canada
@Crazy Dave Condon

Here are some more views of the pulpit and chain plate assembly.

There is no access to the chainplate bolts from the anchor locker. The v-berth ends at a bulkhead which is neatly screwed and caulked into place. It's location is underneath the centre of the anchor Locker, which is still 28in aft of the chainplate bolts. I imagine that void is all injected with foam?
 

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Sep 25, 2018
258
Catalina Capri 22 Capri EXPO 14.2 1282 Stony Point
I opened the front to access a sheared bolt on a cleat. No foam in mine. 1996 model. It wasn't caulked, just screwed in place.