New purchase Hunter 146 beginner questions

[sailEverything]

Hey everyone, this forum was a valuable resource when deciding which sailboat to buy. Thanks for that! I found a Hunter 146 that seems to be in good shape, but I am new to boats. This is my first sailboat or boat of any kind. I’m a little concerned about some small hairline cracks, based on what I’ve read from other 146 owners. Main concern is the mast base plate, there are a few tiny cracks around it and if I pull hard on it, there’s a little play. It appears that the PO may have put silicone or epoxy around the 4 bolts as well. (Unless that is normal) I’m assuming that means there was a potential concern. Seems strong enough to hold the mast, but would like to get everyone’s thoughts on that. There’s also a hairline crack aft of the centerboard. I’ve attached some pics below. I’ve got some additional questions for the forum, but figured I’d start with this. Apologies if I’m posting in the wrong thread. Let me know. Thanks for any advice!

 

[kappykaplan]

Welcome to the forum!
@Crazy Dave Condon can probably help answer your questions.

 

[CurtisC]

Given you can get play at the mast step, the staining around it, and nearby deck cracks, it would appear that the blocking below (plywood?) is compromised probably due to long term exposure to moisture. I'm pretty sure your hull and deck are made of a plastic (ACP) which requires a separate repair process from fiberglass. The link
Hunter 170 Mast Step rebuild discusses the repair for a Hunter 170, big brother to the 140, also ACP construct and probably similar below deck mast support to your setup.

 

[sailEverything]

Thanks for the ‘welcome’ @kappykaplan and thanks for that link @CurtisC . I now have a good plan for when it needs repaired. I think I can squeeze a little time out of it as is. Maybe a season. I was able to raise the mast in my backyard today and fully rigged it up. It seems solid once the shrouds and forestay are all tight. Could be different when under sail. We’ll see once I take it out for the first time, hopefully soon. I think as long as I’m gentle when I position the mast pins and raise it up, I should be ok

Another quick question for the group; If there is water getting inside the hull somewhere, will it still drain out of the plug below the transom at the very back of the boat? Or is it possible water gets stuck somewhere inside?

 

[sailEverything]

I finally took it out in the bay. Sails great! Was a little challenging at the ramp to reverse and navigate with the rudder, trolling motor and centerboard in shallow mangroves. I’m sure that will get easier with practice. After a couple of hours in the water, I had about a quart of water drain out of the hull drain plug once it was on the trailer. I’m assuming that is normal?

 

[CurtisC]

Assuming dry bilge and snug hull plug to start, NO that is not normal. Inspect the hull for cracks, ACP hulls are known for stress cracks that can propagate due to temp extremes. Google problems with Hunter ACP hulls and check out Hunter ACP Repair.

 

[sailEverything]

@CurtisC thanks. I found 1 hairline crack on the bottom of the hull by the front trailer bumper. I Dremel’d a groove and JBMarine welded to seal it. It’s tiny though, so I’m assuming the water is getting in through the retractable centerboard area. I’ve read that the pivot pin can leak or rubber flaps in that area. I’ll try to pay more attention to that area next time I’m out. Question; is the centerboard still watertight when it is partially deployed, like when in shallow waters? I sailed a bit with it halfway down when going through mangrove roots.

 

[SailorMatt]

Hey, folks. I am glad to see this 146 question come up more recently than 10 years ago. I also have a 146 with some cracks - some are minor but some are pretty significant. After drilling the end of each crack and then dremeling the full length, I used TotalBoat Thixo on all of the cracks with some decent success. My question relates to the more significant cracks on the hull. Has anyone tried to use fibreglass cloth with a polyester resin to create some strength to bridge both sides of the crack? I am not looking for a pretty fix. Just would like one that has strength and will last. When the poly resin kicks off (heats up) would it melt the ACP plastic hull?