cracked hull

I recently bought a 1978, 16' Hobie. I looked over the boat and it all looked good. I then went sailing a few times and noticed a 12" crack on the inside of the starboard hull, just below the pylon. I went and had it repaired and the repair guy told me he went deep, dried it out with his heat gun and the repair was strong. I then sailed a few more times and the same area cracked again.

Could anyone tell me why this is happening?

I thank you in advance for your insight.

Fred

You bought a 1978 boat. That is like the little old lady that "died suddenly and unexpectedly at age 104." That is harsh, but that is also the reason the boat is having structural problems, it's really old. The boat may have sat in the sun for decades and just rotted away. It looked great until you used it. Did you replace the wires and standing rigging points? A boat this old is just waiting to fail. Even if a really good dealer "inspected" the boat, some damage is impossible to see like sun damaged foam and fiberglass and fatigued stainless rigging.

I said structural problems, and that is really an assumption. Anything fiberglass can be "fixed", but the question is, once that area is made strong, what is the next point to fail. Pictures could help to see what is going on, but the age of the boat is the real question.

If the damage is internal, then you may need to cut an access point to get to the repair. Depending on the location, a simple hatch could be installed, but if the deck is already weak, this "fix" could make it worse.

Send pictures...

Bummer.....sounds like a loose pylon shoe. See the "Pylon Shoe Repairs" article in the Sept/Oct 2009 HOTLINE magazine.

http://www.hobiecat.com/hobieclass

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16

Likely need to fix it from the inside. (deck plate). Read the how-to's first!

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H18, H17 & Various motor boats

Thank you all for your replies.

Firstly, the boat looked good and felt good, no soft spots, etc. The last registration sticker on the boat was from 1994, and the man I bought it from said it had not been used in 16 years. It still had the original sails, tramp and rigging. I did replace the rigging, and the tramp needs replaced. I will take some pictures, but in the meantime I will research the deck plate and pylon shoes issues. I guess my thoughts are, if the fiberglass was repaired soundly, and broke in the same exact spot, there must be a cause. Do I delve into the deck plate and, or, pylon shoe, look for a new hull, and if so are the port and starboard different, or chalk it up to a loss, part it out and look for a new boat. Any thoughts?

Thanks again,

Fred

First, if it cracked in the same place, it was not repaired soundly. If it broke next to the repair, then the crack was fixed, but not the underlying cause. Grinding out a structural crack, and then polishing out gel-coat so it looks nice is not fixing the damage or what is causing it.

Step one, find out what is causing the damage.
Step two, fix this.
Step three, make it look nice again
Step four, sail it and look for the next point to fail.

I hate to be negative, but the "it's all original, the wires were replaced, the tramp needs replacing, and the hull has a recurring structural crack" does not sound good. When you said it sat for more than a decade, was it in a barn or out in the sun, rain, snow? As I said before, anything fiberglass can be repaired, but is it worth it?

Find a dealer near you and ask them to evaluate what you have. Short of that, find a racing fleet near you and see if one of the active people can meet you to help you out.

PS- get your money back for the repair.

Ok, I have to apoligize.

I know you bought the boat excited about sailing. You really need to seek out a local expert to help you out. If you were here in San Diego, I would help you.

Keep it and fix the hull. I'd cut the port hole (in the correct spot), then see whats up. Post pics so we can "advise". I bet its a bad repair, not fixing the underlying problem like the pylon shoe. Cut it open and see. One step at a time.

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H18, H17 & Various motor boats

Sorry, Fred....I gave you a bogus link (copied from an old thread). Try this to see what's involved in the repair:

http://2010.archive.hobiecat.com/hobiec ... 0_2009.pdf

Port and starboard hulls are different (mirror each other).

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Jerome Vaughan
Hobie 16

Once again, Thank you all for your replies, it makes me feel a little less isolated here in the western slope of Colorado! I'll get the boat out of the water, dry it out, take some pictures and go from there. I've read the article on repair of the deck shoe and if I read it correctly they instruct in cutting out the area around the shoe- would you guys recommend doing this rather than a port hole aft of the pylon ion the deck?

For me it's easier to do the port hole IF it is in the correct place. (I wouldn't cut a top port hole in front of the cross beams.) Much more work refinishing the side glass. I've never done a shoe, so take that as general info.

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H18, H17 & Various motor boats

You could use one of those inspection camera's and put it in through the drain hole. Most of the auto repair shops now have them, maybe you know one that would help you out.

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06 getaway -- always remember, man with both feet in mouth have no leg to stand on.

Okay fellow sailors,

I've read the 2 articles on pylon shoe repairs and blind hole repairs and am going to start by making the port cut in the deck. I know this should be behind the front pylon. Does anyone have any recommendations as to the size of this? Is there a deck port hole cover I can purchase and insert and attach later or will I have to repair this?

Once again, I thank you in advance for your help.

Fred

You'll want to buy the flange and covers before you make any holes in your hulls. Use the flange to mark exactly the locationa and size of the hole you'll need to cut. Here's a link to a page on the Mariner Sails (Hobie dealer in Dallas) site that offers several sizes of port kits. http://www.mariner-sails.com/product_list.asp?id=8816 One of you H16 guys please chime in and tell him what size he needs, 4", 5" or 6". For a H16 I assume you'll need to buy the ones with the curved covers. If you call them in the morning, Mariner will have your order out the door that afternoon.

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Mark Van Doren
H16 Seabreeze #112205 (Richard Petty Signature Edition)
H14T Fantasia #47787
San Juan 28

Thanks will do.