Spreading Middle

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Nathan Wagner

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Oct 30, 2019
124
I'm worried about a spreading middle ... on my boat, I mean.

I recently noticed that my top companionway step--the one that slides in (or out) to cover the engine compartment--is on the verge of falling into that space which has clearly grown slightly wider. I'm trying to figure out why my boat would be getting wider at that point. Have I over-tightened the rigging? Is a bulkhead failing--and if so, which one? Has anyone experienced/observed this?

On other forums I've seen discussion of "hog" or "sag" in wooden boats. Is that what I'm seeing? Most importantly, how do I reverse it, or at least stop it from increasing?

O couple facts that might be pertinent:
I removed the inboard motor about 8 years ago.
The boat has been in the water for over a year and I never noticed any spreading/widening last time it was on the trailer.

Thanks,
Nathan
Damsel
Albion CA
 
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alaskaflyfish

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Oct 15, 2015
206
I was told to never align my prop shaft on the hard because boats change shape when in the water. Glass is a fluid and does flow, albeit very slowly. In old houses I have seen glass windows bulging over their panes. I would inspect your rear bulkheads to see if you have any flange separation. My boat was trailer- ed and I found the rear bulkhead flange lower 6 inches separated under the icebox. I re-glued it with epoxy and reinforced it with glass weave. My engine front face cover now has a 1/4in gap on the bottom in one corner.Something obviously moved. If your rigging was too tight I would think you would see deformation in you cabin top first. Did you notice if your rigging became loose for no apparent reason? That would indicate something is giving in somewhere else.
 
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btfag0s

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Sep 13, 2002
203
Do you trailer your Vega around the country, as opposed to just keeping on the hard over the winter? If so, i would suspect that's the culprit.Removing the inboard engine would have removed some of the stiffness - I would expect the engine would have helped keep the sides together.When did you notice the problem - was she in our out of the water, and was the rigging tensioned?It should be feasible to fit and hide a reinforcement bar across the companionway when afloat with the rig under tension, as the tendency would be to squash the hull (a major symptom of the mast beam failing is that the door won't shut because the gap's narrowed!)It's not 'hog' or 'sag'.- that's reserved for carvel and clinker wooden boats. Alisdair
 
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groundhogyh

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May 30, 2006
1,075
my boat Good Things was on the hard for the last three years. When i started working on her again this summer, i noticed that the top step didnt have as much shelf to sit on as i had remembered. I tossed the old lady back in the water last week, so i will see if she tightens up.groundhogSent from my iPhone
 
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winslowbuoy

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Jan 31, 2009
122
On one occasion I managed to ground my boat on hard sand with a moderate sea running. The boat was being lifted up and slammed down on the sand. As it did so the sides of the boat bulged outwards. I could see it by observing the engine cover/top step. They would show at least half an inch movement on both sides. Once I was restored to safety by the local lifeboat the boat returned to normal. This was over ten years ago with no problems since. I wonder if you have had the boat on a trailer or propped up for a while whether being supported largely on the keel for a long period might have deformed the boat,(the weight of the boat is normally supported by water more evenly). Once you are afloat the boat may resume it's normal shape.Mike On Wednesday, 23 August 2017, 3:05, "ground hog groundhogyh@... [AlbinVega]" AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com wrote:




my boat Good Things was on the hard for the last three years. When i started working on her again this summer, i noticed that the top step didnt have as much shelf to sit on as i had remembered. I tossed the old lady back in the water last week, so i will see if she tightens up.groundhogSent from my iPhoneOn Aug 22, 2017, at 2:01 PM, 'Nathan Wagner' wagnern@... [AlbinVega] AlbinVega@yahoogroups.com wrote:
 
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damselvega

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Oct 25, 2006
10
Thanks everyone for all the helpful input so far on my "Spreading Middle". This may not be the right procedure, but I'll give an "omnibus" answer here.

-I'm reassured by your consensus that it's not over-tight rigging. I hated the thought that I did this myself.
-No, I haven't noticed any other deformation. The mast step has never been reinforced, but it looks fine. So do the cockpit lockers and the washboard slides on theopenning for companionway door.
-As far as I know, the problem developed over the last few months while in the water--not on the trailer, and not when I first launched over a year ago.
-Yes, I have trailered the boat long distances. The last time was only 2 hrs--less than 100 miles.
-It would be difficult to examine the two molded halves under water, but I'll take a close look when I haul out in November.
- It sounds like a busted or loose bulkhead flange really could be the problem. Aside from trailering, another possible cause could be a winter storm that thrashed my marina and repeatedly knocked the boat against the slip finger pretty hard. I'll try to get a close look at the bulkhead flanges around the icebox, and in the area where I removed the engine. This will involve emptying the cockpit lockers onto the dock, which is only slightly less daunting to me than organizing my storage shed, or making a "searching and fearless moral inventory" as recommended by AA.

Thanks again! I love this group!

Nathan
Damsel
Albion CA
 
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