Old forlorn HC14 -- Evaluation?

On a whim, I am now the (proud?) owner of a 1979 HC14. It looks pretty rough, like it has been sitting outside ignored for years. Actually I am a kayaker and I know nothing about Hobies or sailing. How do I go about evaluating the hulls to see just how bad they are? In fact how would someone with experience have evaluated the whole boat before deciding to haul it home?

Thanks!

Dave in STL

The critical thing is to see if the hulls / decks have delaminated and beome soft.

Press with the palm of your hand in various places around the hulls, especially on the decks in front of the pylons (where the trampoline frame attaches to the boat). If the surface gives at all, it's delaminated.

Small areas (less than 2 sq. ft. total) can be repaired. Large or very soft areas mean that it's a parts boat.

Ok, should I press as hard as I can all over the entire surface? If I feel any give at all that is bad?

Let me add this -- if there is significant delamination then what happens? The hull is unusable because it will deform under load? I won't be taking this thing ten miles out to sea.

Not AS HARD AS YOU CAN, but firmly. You'll know it if and when you feel it. A solid boat will not give under firm pressure.




No, the boat will break under load. The bows are under a considerable amount of lateral force - they will break right off leaving you stranded in the middle of the lake.

Ok, that doesn't look like much fun. I guess there is no way to open these up for refurbishing? I'm not sure I feel anything obvious but I thought I heard something when I turned the boat upside down a few days ago.

Don't use to much force or you will further delam, I little bit of flex should be okay,, but you will know delam when you feel it, also it it sound like a bag of chips when you press in that is bad also.

_________________
Nacra 5.2 "Elsies"
Hobie 14T, "Blazin" I guess I am keeping her!

There's a foam block inside the hull for flotation. That's what you heard when you turned the hull over.

Ok, I don't really have a feel for this. I pressed all over and see a slight flex but not an obvious air-gap. Maybe I'm just not pressing hard enough or properly judging the difference in the deflection. There are a number of sloppy looking repairs and a number of surface cracks. I've taken some photos. The surface epoxy or gelcoat is an obvious problem. I later tried tapping around with a small mallet to see if I could hear any differences and seemed to create another crumbly patch like the 2nd photo below.

Thanks






etc...

http://home.att.net/~galt_57/dscn5982_t.jpg
http://home.att.net/~galt_57/dscn5983_t.jpg
http://home.att.net/~galt_57/dscn5984_t.jpg
http://home.att.net/~galt_57/dscn5987_t.jpg
http://home.att.net/~galt_57/dscn5989_t.jpg
http://home.att.net/~galt_57/dscn5993_t.jpg
http://home.att.net/~galt_57/dscn5996_t.jpg
http://home.att.net/~galt_57/dscn5999_c.jpg

I guess I'm now thinking that I may not have a delamination problem OR I have a total delamination OR I'm clueless. In any case the gelcoat is a problem. The fraying trampolene is a problem. The fractured composite on the mast is a problem. The well worn rudder assembly is a problem. And then I'm missing a few minor parts and need to work on the trailer.