J
JayTee
Hopefully, this is the right place to seek some insight on boat integrity.After about 14 seasons sailing a 16 foot dingy on the great lakes, I am contemplating my first keel boat. There are a number of boats in the 30ft range I am considering (C30, C&C30mkI, H31) and concluded that the C30 is likely the best dollar-value (the C&C is a bit smallish below decks, and the Hunter seems prone to "oil-canning" in the forward hull). However, I dismissed the Catalina after coming across a large number of posts regarding separation of the keel to hull joint. This seems, perhaps, partly due to rotting of the imbedded wood member in the keel stub combined with the high loading of the joint spread over a relatively small surface area when heeled. Many owners say this isn't a big deal, just re-torque the keel bolts and re-finish the joint every spring. However, it strikes me as a failure of the structural integrity which could lead to failure of the keel bolts if they rust out due to exposure to water.Digging a little more, I am finding the issue seems to affect many makes of boat. So, along with hull blisters, deck de-lamination and whatever else, is this just a fact of life with fin keels of all stripes? Or are some boats more prone than others due to the engineering of this critical area?Thank You;John