I'm looking at a 1984 Pearson 26' sailboat. It's in great shape except I noticed behind the mast on top of the cabin, a foot behind it, a 10-12" circle of "spider cracks", and a 6" crack on the starboard side where the mast sits on cabin. Is this a sign of trouble or is it relatively a normal thing and repairable?
Structual "spidering"
- Thread starter skipwaite
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On a Pearson this should be very carefully evaluated.
1. Make sure that the door to the head closes easily into the door jamb/frame, and there is NO binding of the door when it's closed.
2. Make SURE that the head door 'hardware' Lock and and the lock plate ... line up close to perfect and are not 'out of phase'.
If #1 and/or #2 show 'problems' ...
3. Open the 'hatch' at the bottom of the 'compression post'. And visualize for a 'brown color' that seems to be leaking from the fiberglass 'socket' that holds the compression post in place. Carefully inspected (with the tip of a screwdriver) that there is a fairly large wooden WEDGE 'under' the compression post; the 'wedge' is sometimes 'hidden' under a layer of fiberglass 'tabbing'. but you will find a 'drain hole' in the tabbing into which to insert a 'probe'. That 'wedge' should still be there and it shouldnt be 'mushy' or rotted.
If the head door doesnt close correctly and without binding in the door jamb, the head door lock components dont line up, etc. etc. & there is evidence on the top of the coach roof of cracking, etc. then there is a strong possibility that the base of the compression post is rotted, has 'compressed' down into the fiberglass 'socket'.
Such a repair is easy for a well experienced DIYer, but can be costly if the repair is to be performed by 'pros'. The DIY repair is to chisel away the 'socket', cut off the bottom of the compression post until 'good' wood is found, jack up the BULKHEAD (NOT the compression post), insert a pre-fabricated filled epoxy 'pedestal' into what was cut away ... the fit of the new pedestal is 'very tight', tab the pedestal in place, release pressure on the bulkhead. Then FIX all the cracks on the coachroof to prevent water intrusion into the wooden core on the 'roof'. This can be a LOT of work and if the exterior 'roof' has cracked, then there is a strong possibility that the coring is now rotted ..... and THAT can be a 'bitch' to repair if you want a 'good looking' P26.
If in any doubt, suggest you find a P26 that can have the head door close without binding and has NO cracks on the coachroof anywhere near the mast ..... eg. a boat that doesnt have a rotted compression post base.
Check out the symptoms as described and if there is any doubt, be sure to hire a surveyor who KNOWS these 'special' problems with the P26 and/or P30.
1. Make sure that the door to the head closes easily into the door jamb/frame, and there is NO binding of the door when it's closed.
2. Make SURE that the head door 'hardware' Lock and and the lock plate ... line up close to perfect and are not 'out of phase'.
If #1 and/or #2 show 'problems' ...
3. Open the 'hatch' at the bottom of the 'compression post'. And visualize for a 'brown color' that seems to be leaking from the fiberglass 'socket' that holds the compression post in place. Carefully inspected (with the tip of a screwdriver) that there is a fairly large wooden WEDGE 'under' the compression post; the 'wedge' is sometimes 'hidden' under a layer of fiberglass 'tabbing'. but you will find a 'drain hole' in the tabbing into which to insert a 'probe'. That 'wedge' should still be there and it shouldnt be 'mushy' or rotted.
If the head door doesnt close correctly and without binding in the door jamb, the head door lock components dont line up, etc. etc. & there is evidence on the top of the coach roof of cracking, etc. then there is a strong possibility that the base of the compression post is rotted, has 'compressed' down into the fiberglass 'socket'.
Such a repair is easy for a well experienced DIYer, but can be costly if the repair is to be performed by 'pros'. The DIY repair is to chisel away the 'socket', cut off the bottom of the compression post until 'good' wood is found, jack up the BULKHEAD (NOT the compression post), insert a pre-fabricated filled epoxy 'pedestal' into what was cut away ... the fit of the new pedestal is 'very tight', tab the pedestal in place, release pressure on the bulkhead. Then FIX all the cracks on the coachroof to prevent water intrusion into the wooden core on the 'roof'. This can be a LOT of work and if the exterior 'roof' has cracked, then there is a strong possibility that the coring is now rotted ..... and THAT can be a 'bitch' to repair if you want a 'good looking' P26.
If in any doubt, suggest you find a P26 that can have the head door close without binding and has NO cracks on the coachroof anywhere near the mast ..... eg. a boat that doesnt have a rotted compression post base.
Check out the symptoms as described and if there is any doubt, be sure to hire a surveyor who KNOWS these 'special' problems with the P26 and/or P30.
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