I finally got around to taking a further look at the hull-to-deck joint. I can't really tell why it failed but my best guess is the lack of sealant/joint compound. I don't see any evidence of it in the failed portion of the joint.
Here is where the joint looks normal. That sealant appears to be from the factory.
I took some of the repair sealant out and cleaned up what I could, I am hoping I can simply cinch back into place.
A different angle and a better look at just how far it has separated.
Another angle looking down on the hull-to-deck joint.
So as of right now the plan is to strip off all the old wooden toe rails, genoa tracks, and anything else that is attached to the toe rail. After that I will repair the lifted part and fiberglass the entire joint all the way around the boat. That is the plan for now.
Been through the same thing on my Bristol 29. Good luck with the project!
ReplyDeleteYea...big project ahead. As I take thinges apart my list kreps growing..had planned on 3yrs but it's already been a year and not much has been accomplished
DeleteYea...big project ahead. As I take thinges apart my list kreps growing..had planned on 3yrs but it's already been a year and not much has been accomplished
DeleteOnly you can make the decision about just how far your want to go and what needs to be done in order for you to be comfortable with the boat's integrity, but, wow, it would be a significant job to prep all of the hull-deck joint, glass it, fair it, prime, paint, and finish it. Any chance the problem area could be repaired without incurring all the extra work?
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I'm not trying to talk you out of anything; I'm just playing devil's advocate. Glassing the entire joint would certainly be an improvement - but a lot of work.
ReplyDeleteAgree but I would very upset with myself if I put it back in the water and it was a problem down the road, especially at the wrong time. The teak toe rail is in pretty poor shape anyway so it need to be removed and replaced.
DeleteI appreciate all the comments...good or bad because it does make me think things through. I am looking at this boat right wondering wtf I got myself into here;)
No doubt that you'd kick yourself later if you didn't do it and it turned out to be a problem later. And, yes, I've had the exact same feeling you're having of late! Hang in there. I'm hardly the guy to give advice, but I can tell you from experience that simply focusing on one thing at a time actually results in getting things done without feeling too overwhelmed! You can't do it all at once, but you can do one thing at a time. Good luck!
DeleteI'll second Ariel | CD 36 advice; If I worried about the whole list, I would have never gotten it all done. Just focus on the job at hand and get that done and don't sweat all the other jobs waiting to be done. I'm not sure if the A35 and A30 hull/deck joints are the same, but another A35 owner out on the west coast solved his hull/deck joint issue by injecting epoxy into the void in the joint at regularly spaced intervals.
DeleteLooks like you have the late model A30 with raised fiberglass toe rail and teak cap rail. Last year I had a similar problem, but the hull to deck joint was still held tight with aluminum rivets from the factory. We added countersunk 1/4" bolts to reinforce the joint forward and aft of the sheet tracks, which were bolted on later. With a grinder I cleaned out the exposed step on the outside edge of the flange and filled it with epoxy thickened with 406 in order to eliminate the step. Then we installed a new 5/8" thick flat teak cap. You can email or phone me for details and photos, if needed.
ReplyDeleteWorking on a 4th A30 refit now in the backyard. This one is an early model with no fiberglass toe rail and came to us with the old teak rail missing. We just ordered an aluminum rail and expect it to be way easier to install and more functional, if not so pretty.
James
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