ODAY DSII small cracks in hull

krantala · Jul 5, 2015

Assuming the core is wood, the last thing you want to do is trap it inside and start to rot if it hasn't done so yet. You have the right idea lifting the bow. I would drill a few holes in the bottom where it meets the transom, heat the forward portion of the boat and drive the moisture out. Once that is done, I would inject a chemical - I can't remember what it's called, but it flows through all the rot and then solidifies like an epoxy.

With regards to your centerboard, it needs to be checked - you cannot validate its integrity otherwise. This means your boat has to come off the trailer. The ds is a small boat so it won't be hard.

Buying a new to you boat always comes with a bit of work by virtue of inspections that need to be carried out because a failure on the water is never a good thing. Good luck and enjoy the process. - Keijo

Sunbird22358 · Jul 5, 2015

The DS II hull has no core, is solid fiberglass.
Without seeing the cracks I really can't fully advise how to repair, but I would grind out the cracks and repair with epoxy resin and fiberglass tape (4" wide +/-). That area of the hull is a bit flexible, at least on my DS II so resin alone may not solve problem.

What year is your DS II? When you refer to rusty screws in regards to the CB trunk, I am assuming you refer to the screws holding the 2 metal plates under the boat that retain the wedges that hold the CB pivot pin in on 1980-85 models?

Sunbird22358 · Jul 6, 2015

I think the site requires that you make a certain number of posts before you can post pictures? Not sure....

Brian S · Jul 7, 2015

When posting pictures, you have to select the image file in the pop up window, and then you have to click the upload button once the file is selected. Then it will show attached, and you can do funky stuff with image tags and whatnot to make it in-line in your message

Use the Go Advanced button next to the Post Quick Reply button. Click the Camera icon button to bring up the pop up window.

Then, select your file. It will use your OS's file browser to find the image. Once you have selected the image, you MUST click the upload button, otherwise it won't go to the site's server.

Once they are uploaded, they show a line lower down on that window. You can right click on this link, and copy the link address (or whatever wording your browser uses) and then you can paste into your message using appropriate [ img ] and [ /img ] tags. (Note I added spaces so that it would show.) This is how I get them in-line.

Yeah, it's confusing. I hope this helps some, though...

Brian S · Jul 7, 2015

Your images are too large. You'll need to use some image editing software to resize them down smaller. Given the resolution they are currently, you should probably resample them too. Dimensions and resolution are interdependent. An image of 2448x2448 pixels at 72 dots per inch (dpi), an old but common standard for web images viewed on a screen, is 34"x34". At 300dpi, a common printing resolution, the same 2448x2448 image would be about 8"x8". A 2448x2448 image has just under 6 million dots, or 6 megapixels. An 800x800 image has 640,00 pixels. And a 6 megapixel image, even with JPEG compression, is a very large file size. So, the forum doesn't allow images that are too big, because they would take up lots of storage space on the server's hard drives.

On a Mac, I usually export from Photos at medium size with high JPEG quality. I don't bother with PCs.

It is common for there to be cracks in gelcoat. You would need to widen the cracks in order to fill them. Old school pointy can openers, "church keys" are sometimes used for this purpose. I have filled cracks in gelcoat with white Marine Tex, and found new cracks later. So...

If you have cracks that go through the underlying laminate, such that water is getting into the hull, you really need to grind these cracks out and refill properly with glass and resin. This is because the structural integrity of the glass laminate is compromised. Basically, feather it out, and lay in with multiple layers of glass cloth. There are lots of instructions on the web with best practices...

ebsail · Jul 7, 2015

Captain Tolley crack sealer is a water like epoxy that will flow into the smallest crack and seal it. But it isn't structualy strong. To fix the cracks grind them out on the inside untill you have a couple of inch wide V shape (wide on the inside) and lay fiberglass down in layers (wet out with epoxy) until you are back to the normal thickness. Then fair the outside with epoxy fairing putty

Brian S · Jul 7, 2015

The pictures uploaded. Here's how they look in-line, and I will post code how to do that. Just remove the spaces in the brackets [ ]...

[ img ]http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=89727&d=1436298108[ /img ]

[ img ]http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=89728&d=1436298130[ /img ]

Since they are right in the hull under the waterline, I think I'd grind them back and refill with glass and resin, per approved repair techniques. They are quite small, and it would be a reasonably easy fix. Google "how to fix through hull holes" or search on this site. It's been discussed relatively recently on the Ask All Sailors forum. (and argued about whats the right way

)

JohnCTV21 · Jul 7, 2015

The second picture damage was caused by an impact of some sort, indicated by the circular cracks in the gel coat.

You are going to want to repair those properly and look for additional damage inside

Sunbird22358 · Jul 8, 2015

On the DS II there is no real access to the bilge area, except a small area near the CB pivot area that can be accessed through two 4" inspection ports in the cockpit sole. Any further access to the inside of the hull will require cutting the cockpit sole of the decking inside the cuddy. The inside surface of the hull above the waterline is accessable inside the cuddy, except for the forward 18-24" back from the bow.

So, most repairs need to be done from outside if possible. Although carefull cutting out of access areas in the cuddy is possible for any damage forward of the CB trunk.

Brian S · Jul 13, 2015

Do some searches on repairing holes in fiberglass. Either here, or on the google. I'm sure you will find some on YouTube as well. There is a ratio of thickness, I can't remember what it is, like, 8:1 or something. So, if the hull is 1/4" thick, you feather back 2" from the hole, and bevelled smoothly down all the way 1/4" deep. Then, you take some layers of glass cloth cut round to the shape of the outside of the bevel. And then 2 or 3 pieces each progressively smaller. Resin the biggest in first, probably using epoxy, and when it kicks (starts to harden but still soft and sticky) lay in the next smaller, and wet out with epoxy, etc. Putting each new layer on "green" epoxy will create a chemical bond, as opposed to letting it cure hard, then you are relying on a mechanical bond.

You can have arguments about using epoxy vs. polyester resin. Some like epoxy because it is an adhesive. Other say polyester resin because that's what the boat is made of, but polyester doesn't like to stick to cured resin very well. Either way, done right, it will be fine. Then you can also have arguments about putting the biggest piece down first, in which case as you sand it smooth once it's cured, you will only burn through the edges, leaving that one big piece intact, whereas if you put the smallest in first, and then the biggest on the outside, you will burn through the glass of the biggest as you sand it smooth. I know I have read these arguments on the main forum here in the past year or so. Study up, and make your choices, though I don't think any options will be a problem in a small daysailer.

As for the foam under the cockpit sole, I don't know. Sunbird may be best qualified to comment on that, or over on the daysailer.org website. That is probably just floatation foam in there. You are doing better to get rid of any water you can find than to worry about foam support. The size of a 6" deck plate hole probably will not make any difference. If it turns out to be a problem and you notice unusual flex and cracking around the inspection port in the sole, then you go and fix it with more glass, or maybe glass in a piece of plywood or something. But you probably won't have any problem at all.

Hope this helps.

Brian

patriciasailing said:
and another newbie question.... how do I know how much to grind the cracks on the hull or how big should I make them and/or how can I tell how much is needed to come off?

ODAY DSII small cracks in hull

.

.

.

.

.

Attachments

.

.

.

Attachments

.

.

.

Attachments

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.