[C38] Cracks by Stem Fitting

[Charles Finn]

Ray,
Obviously there is more to this as you just did some kind of repair for 
some reason.  The best way to find if there is a problem is to discover 
whether the cracks are superficial or structural.  Take a small grinder, 
mototool, or even a screw driver and gouge the gelcoat out of the 
cracks.  IF the crack does not extend into the glass, you fix the 
gelcoat and call it a day. IF the crack extends into the glass, then you 
have a structural repair which will require you to first cut out and 
then rebuild. Here is hoping this is superficial!

Chuck Finn
Mighty Quinn  #114
Great Lakes

On 9/6/2013 12:21 PM, Ray Torok wrote:
> Hi Steve,
>
> I have a backstay tensioner, but it's only on when we're sailing. 
>  When the boat's at the dock, the backstay is left on just enough to 
> keep the headstay from flopping around.
>
> Latest theory is that when I replaced the two bolts that anchor the 
> stem fitting to the deck (a few weeks ago), there was enough slop in 
> the bolt holes that when the headstay was tensioned, the fiberglass in 
> the deck was loaded in compression until the stem fitting moved back 
> just a little to where the two bolts and the stainless stem fitting 
> picked up the load again. If that's what happened, the cracking in the 
> fiberglass shouldn't get any worse.  Does that sound believable?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ray
>
>
> On Thu, Sep 5, 2013 at 10:48 PM, Steve Smolinske 
> <SSmolinske at rainierrubber.com <mailto:SSmolinske at rainierrubber.com>> 
> wrote:
>
>     Ray,
>
>     Do you have a backstay tensioner that is left on?
>
>     *From:*listserve-bounces at catalina38.org
>     <mailto:listserve-bounces at catalina38.org>
>     [mailto:listserve-bounces at catalina38.org
>     <mailto:listserve-bounces at catalina38.org>] *On Behalf Of *Ray Torok
>     *Sent:* Thursday, September 05, 2013 5:56 PM
>     *To:* Catalina 38 Listserve
>     *Subject:* [C38] Cracks by Stem Fitting
>
>     Esteemed C38 Gurus:
>
>     Hoping you can help advise on my latest old boat issue.
>
>     I have some cracks showing up (and growing) on the outside of the
>     hull in the few inches between the ends of the toe rails and the
>     headstay stem fitting.  The cracks are horizontal and about 3
>     inches long. On one side the crack is about 1 inch below the deck.
>      On the other it is right at the edge of the deck.
>
>     It appears that the headstay load is pulling the bow upward, and
>     the last few inches of the bow doesn't have the toe rail and
>     bolted hull-to-deck joint of the rest of the boat, so it's bending
>     a bit and the fiberglass is cracking. On the inside, the heavy
>     stainless backing plate for the strap running down the stem also
>     stops several inches short of the bow, and that may be a
>     contributing factor.
>
>     I'm wondering if this is a problem with the early boats (mine is
>     hull #37) that they fixed at some point. Any thoughts on known or
>     proposed fixes would be appreciated.
>
>     Thanks much,
>
>     Ray Torok
>
>     THIRA
>
>
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>
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