Hull Failure!!

Has anyone here ever experienced a hull failure? I have heard people talk of the possibility with softspots in the hulls, but I have never seen it happen or even talked to someone who has. Anyone?

Yes and what do you want to know?

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Bodhisatfa

Photo's a little old - 1988, but that boat was only 10 years old. Classic soft spot in the deck caused catastrophic failure during a race on Lake Michigan. Boat mostly sank, rig came down. Fortunately, nobody was hurt. Insurance company totaled the boat.

Our first H16 was in a hail storm that caused delamination on the top of the hull. The hull ended up breaking off right in front of the pylon (like Mbounds pic). No one was hurt, but the boat had to be sailed back to the beach with the broken hull out of the water,so it wouldn't sink. The hull broke off during a tack where the tension in the bridal was the greatest.

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1992 Hobie Cat 18 #16943
Hobie Fleet 198, Rapid City, SD

I just recently bent the front end of my starboard hull while on starboard tack in heavy winds. I had soft spots in the hull and out of ignorance did not fix them. On hull 2 now and working on reinforcing with epoxy. I would not recommend taking chances :p

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When life gets windy, reef the sails, tighten the lines, and get ready to smile.