[C38] The Catalina Smile

Fri Sep 21 09:11:31 EDT 2007

Why wouldn't you ask the yard to support the keep along most of its
length?

Enrique
Talisman 1998 MK2
Sailing from Essex, CT 

-----Original Message-----
From: listserve-bounces at catalina38.org
[mailto:listserve-bounces at catalina38.org] On Behalf Of S. Orton
Sent: Thursday, September 20, 2007 1:47 AM
To: Catalina 38 Listserve
Subject: Re: [C38] The Catalina Smile

Our boat is an '85 and is in So Cal- no  winters.  The purchasing survey
in
'97 did not show a smile and two years later a smile appeared after haul
out at which I was clueless as to the proper method of "on the hard
support". 
The cradle was ok , but the keel was supported near the aft end. The
yard said all Catalina's have that smile- don't worry about it.  Two
years later at the haul out the smile grew and some of the fiberglass
and fairing material at the smile was literally rotten and smelled
rotten.  The smile ran halfway back along the keel stub.  We made about
5-8 templates, ground out the complete stub to keel mating profile all
the way around exposing bare lead.  The grinding was tapered from the
mating profile a good 3-4 inches up and down.  I don't remember exactly
the depth of material that was removed at the joint, but it was
considerable- 1/4 to 1/2 inch.  It took considerable amount of heat to
dry area, before new material could be applied.  The rotten material
removed was a combination of fiberglass and fairing material.  When the
mating surface was dry, we caulked any gaps with epoxie and glass. The
new material was layer after layer of  glass cloth and West System
epoxie- The last few coats was epoxie thickened with silica. 
Applied the templates and sand to original faired surface.  The job took
4-5 days.  The smile repair was done six years ago and has not
reappeared.  But when the boat is hauled now, I am telling the yard
exactly where to put the keel support- as far forward as possible with
no supports at the aft portion of the keel.

Steve Orton
Santa Susanna #304

----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles" <charles at finn.ws>
To: "Catalina 38 Listserve" <listserve at catalina38.org>
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 9:01 AM
Subject: [C38] The Catalina Smile

> Catalina says the infamous "smile" many of us have discovered on our
> boats is due to improper positioning on our cradles when the boat is
out
> of the water.  I have fixed (by grinding, filling, gelcoating and
> painting) my smile three times before yearly spring launching.... only
> to have it be there when I haul the boat in the fall.  This does not
> rule out what Catalina says as it could be the keel stabilizing after
a
> winter of compression.  I do know it is not due to loose keel bolts as
I
> have routinely gone through the rather difficult process of tightening
> (never found a loose one).  I also know the smile appears on other
> Catalina models as I have seen it many times here in the north where
we
> all have to haul for the winter.
> Regarding repairs on the smile.  While I have done this three times
and
> will probably continue, I do wonder if I am sealing moisture into the
> repair and if this is causing even more of a problem when it freezes.
> Any comments?
>
> Charles Finn
> Mighty Quinn #114
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: listserve-bounces at catalina38.org
>> [mailto:listserve-bounces at catalina38.org] On Behalf Of David L Ryan
>> Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 6:26 PM
>> To: Catalina 38 Listserve
>> Subject: [C38] Keel Stub Wood Removal?
>>
>> I've been trying to further research this fix without too much
>> success. Perhaps you all can help.
>>
>> Is procedure recommended for all Catalina 38s, or is it only
>> recommended when a boat exhibits symptoms?
>>
>> If so, what are the symptoms? The "catalina smile"? Others?
>>
>> Who has had the fix done to their boat? Has anyone done it
>> themselves? Any advice or cautions? Did the procedure correct the
>> problem?
>>
>> Thanks!
>>
>> -David
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Listserve mailing list
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