cd 28 stern hull to deck joint

[Wayne Grenier]

Gents:

I actually think I broke my Cape Dory. It appears the hull and deck are separating at the stern and there is a gap under the teak trim. My boat was from the 1st model year 1974 and I am not sure how they made this joint. I may post some photos but there is a widening gap under the teak trim at the stern but it does not appear as if the stern where the pad eye supports the back stay is loosening nor is there any cracking of the glass or gelcoat to indicate undue stress. The gap had been present for some time and is now widening in the middle. I am aware of how CD attached the hull and deck with an inward facing lip on the hull but it does appear they did the same thing on the stern. There is no toe or rub rail on the stern, some some teak screwed to the deck. This is lifting.

I will post some photos if possible. Some time ago I reinforced the steel plate under the pad eye for the back stay with a plate of aluminium and I do not believe the back stay is getting looser, and I would think if anything the glass around the padeye would be bulging or cracking as is the only thing in that area that is exerting pressure upward. It looks like a real sloppy job of finishing this joint was done when they built the boat (sorry CD) and I can detect nothing going on on the inside of the boat.

I do note the piece of rebar they used to tie the back stay pad eye to the hull is pretty much gone. I assume I will be fabricating a triangular piece of aluminium to act as a brace and tie the pad eye to the stern of the boat.

Has anyone had a similar problem?

Wayne Grenier

[Neil Gordon]

The teak on LIQUIDITY's transom was split 20 years ago at time of purchase. Apparently it was from a relatively minor boat vs. dock collision in the ancient past. There was a gap between the teak and the hull/deck... only on the after side, the cockpit/forward edge of the teak is firmly in place... that gap's still there. There's no evidence of deformation of the deck or of the hull/deck joint... I suspect that the teak would be deformed along the forward edge if there were.

[Wayne Grenier]

That is exactly what I have going on. It appears only the teak is lifting-and only at the stern of the boat. no deformation of the stern deck near the backstay padeye-no evidence from underneath that anything is moving and back stay tension has not changed-strange-

Regardless, over the winter I will have the machine shop make a bracket that will secure the back stay pad eye to the hull and basically beef up everything to a point of well beyond anything that could ever break again. Thanks

[Benlieb]

My cd 28 had the same problem, also at the side stays. It's the way they were made with iron brackets underneath the deck as a backing plate that was glassed into the inside of the hull. Then the wood rails leak and the iron disintegrates.... So the deck rips up from the hull. The bracket you want to have made is essentially what was there before, but is failing. Common cape dory problem. Fixed mine by switching to external chain plates on the hull and glassing up the gap on the hull to deck joint. This included removing all of the rotten leaking teak toe rail, and systematically filling all the leaky screw holes and cracks. Hope this helps.

[Wayne Grenier]

So much for my well built boat. Yesterday I slackened off the back stay, removed the instrument panel, dig out all the old bonding material and filled the gap with marine tex and screwed it back together with bolts through the deck and hull flange as well as several screws and then tightened it down and let the epoxy harden. I had previously removed the nuts off the pad eye and replaced the steel with aluminium. I got some strange looks from the boats that were going by as I hung off the stern with a chisel. Can't wait to tackle the side stays this winter.

Despite it all, the backstay never loosened up and I think the gap reached a point where it was not going any further, so that must say something about the boats. The only way the back stay can pull out is if it takes the stern with it.

The original work lasted 40+ years, so if what I do lasts another 40 I will be all set, as I am 60.

Thanks

[Benlieb]

If it makes you feel any better, the story with my boat is that the guy I got it from sailed the boat for years in said condition....