Whats this crack in the bilge?

A friend just bought a E29. A surveyor (post purchase!) noticed a crack in the glass on top of the keel, in the second (forward) access hatch. He had a theory that maybe some water got in and froze making the crack, but admitted he didn't have a clue. At his suggestion my friend filled it with some epoxy (apparently without glass or even thickener), so the shots are not very revealing. I'm wondering what the "water" would have been doing in there to allow it to "freeze" and expand! Anyone know, or have any other theories on what might have caused the crack? Should my friend be concerned? Don't know the history of the boat, but it's currently on the West Coast. I'm finding the freezing water theory hard to believe.

Can't imagine freeze, especially with this much V shape in the area - I'd expect the freezing water would go up, not out and never generate enough force to crack the hull. These boats are pretty solidly built. I take it that this area has not been viewed by your friend from the exterior e.g. hasn't hauled it yet? It is hard to tell from the photos, but it almost looks like the hull flares inward along the edges of the crack like it was struck from the exterior. I'd be tempted to do a short haul and inspect the other side of this.

Emerald said:

like it was struck from the exterior.

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I concur, Doctor. Seems logical that the keel was struck athwartships creating that seperation along the floor 'timber.' An encapsulated keel might certainly crack upon impact, with the damage occuring at its weakest point.

Frozen bilge water is unlikely to cause something like this, but - I've been wrong before and this could be my second time.

Capt Dan G> E35II "Kunu"

Get out the right-angle grinder

Since it is important to have faith in the boat's ability to keep going during the day and let you doze off without worry when at anchor, I would opt for grinding out and back from the "crack" about 6 inches or so on either side, and some more forward and aft of it. Then lay some layers of heavy biaxial roving over that area with good quality epoxy.

Probably not really needed, but still....



Loreh

I don't like the looks of that. Saw something similar a long time ago
when a yard dropped the boat in a travelift too fast and it smacked
the pavement. I hope the surveyor did a good job. The frozen water
theory doesn't work for me either.

Martin

Martin King said:

Saw something similar a long time ago
when a yard dropped the boat in a travelift too fast and it smacked
the pavement.

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That was exactly what I thought of when I saw it. I would lay on extra inside glass on both sides in case that is what caused it. No expertise to offer, just opinion.



-Sven

Bilge crack

It's hard to really say but it looks like a tension crack on the inner laminates. If this is on the port side, I would venture a guess the keel bottom was pushed in that direction, causing the hull to flex upward, overstressing the inner plies. Are you able to look at the stbd side of the keel bottom to see if there are any signs of a sideways impact, perhaps such as a drop? Is the keel to hull joint line visibly open?
The beauty of fglass is that it can be repaired quite well. Messy for sure, but possible.