cracks

[Jim Stull]

I would like to add a small comment to people concerned about cracks in the gelcoat on CD's.
When we purchased our CD25 it had a mega-crack (more like a rip) in the cockpit sole where someone had dropped somthing sharp and heavy. The top layer of FG was actually lifted up and away from the core about 1/4 inch. Additionally the boat had been sitting in the open for at least 3 years thru Chicago freeze and thaw cycles.
I planned on a major repair.
Using a circular saw set to cut thru the top layer I figured to keep cutting an ever larger hole in the top layer until I found dry core.
Starting with a hole about 6"x8".
Good news and bad news.
This initial exploratory cut was at least twice as large as the actual rotted area.
This was nice but now I had a much bigger than necessary hole to repair.
It appears that the end grain bala does not migrate water. Beyond the small rotted ares the 'glas was EXTREMY tightly bonded to the balsa making for a dificult repair in the unnecessarily cut section.
Despite what the popular books advised, I found (at least with my CD construction) that a Dremel tool was a more suitable surigical instrument.



jtsull@icubed.com