Keel sag

[orion440]

Hello all
I have a problem that I can only think to call it keel sage but it may not have anything to do with the keel… it’s a Beneteau 440 and I am not the first owner… it appears that the center of the boat is sagging…. All 4 of the doors on the forward and aft bulkheads are tweaked so there is a large gap at the top on the latch side and it looks as though the bottom had rubbed at one time and someone ground the frame … any ideas are welcome on what might have caused this and or repairs

 

[Don S/V ILLusion]

Prolonged storage out of the water while keel unsupported?

is the boat currently in the water and if so, for how long?

 

[orion440]

It was on the hard for three years but the keel was blocked… It has been in the water now for a year, but I just recently noticed the doors about three months ago and don’t know if it was like that year ago

 

[Hollyberry]

Keel stepped or deck stepped mast? Excess rigging tension may be a factor... but I'd think it would have to be extreme..

 

[orion440]

I had thought that… it doesn’t appear so but I may have a rigger look at it…. I had someone say it could have run aground and separate the outer and inner hull section… that’s why I was checking here … do you know if that’s a thing?

 

[jssailem]

someone say it could have run aground and separate the outer and inner hull section… that’s why I was checking here … do you know if that’s a thing?

It may or may not be the cause but it sure could be. Run a boat hard against the sea bottom and you can do damage that is hidden, until it shows up. The 440 is a big boat. One would expect if it was run aground it was likely moving at a fair speed. The mass alone would continue and decelerate as the keel stopped in place.

It would be reasonable to have a marine surveyor with that bit of knowledge to take a look at the hull and pan attachments.

 

[Mechone]

The only way to properly check matrix failure is to haul the boat. While in the slings have the operator put the full weight of the boat on the keel .If the keel flexes pushes up you have separated the matrix .That is how any surveyor that knows what he is doing checks a Beneteau. Been there done it my matrix is fully glassed in

 

[BigEasy]

If the boat had a hard grounding, you should be able to see delamination, cracks, & fractures where the internal grid is bonded to the inside of the hull. The method that Mechone mentioned will certainly demonstrate the extent of damage. There are several videos on You Tube that address grid delamination and the repair process.

 

[Mechone]

If the boat had a hard grounding, you should be able to see delamination, cracks, & fractures where the internal grid is bonded to the inside of the hull. The method that Mechone mentioned will certainly demonstrate the extent of damage. There are several videos on You Tube that address grid delamination and the repair process.

Depends on the vintage ,early Beneteaus like mine ,don't know about 440 however built around same year ,had pans as part of the grid . The pans hide any damage and they were all cut out to glass the stringers to the hull. Later Beneteau removed the pans going forward that now lets you see any damage