How much is too much?

[Mac M]

Hi all,

Ive been trying to find a SC 20 for a little while now with not much luck. I recently came across one that was under 2 hrs away. I went to look at it and was disappointed to find that the hulls were in poor shape. The bow tangs were loose, I knew about this, the deck plates around the access ports by the daggerboard trunk were separating, a small tree limb had fallen across a stern damaging the glass there, and there was a small amount of water standing in the hulls. All the rest of the boat was great, sails, tramp, boards/blades, rigging, and all hardware had been stored inside.

So my question is whats too much to try and fix? I've heard the phrase "if it's fiberglass it can be fixed", but I imagine there has to be a point where you should throw in the towel...I know what needs to be done about the tangs, but not sure about the separating around the access port. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of the boat that I could post. I have a couple people that have done a lot of glasswork and are available to work on it, just worried about buying something that can't be fixed or won't ever be right. If these things were readily available I wouldnt worry about it or would look for some good hulls, but they seem to be far and few between. Anyway, comments welcome.....

Mac

[hislifetolive]

Hi Mac,

I've been a SC17 owner for about three years. I salied it for the first season and a half "as is". Knowing what I know now I wouldn't have done that. I was always taking on water. I reglassed both transoms and it helped alot. One was nearly totally broken in pieces. I sailed those years on a small, shallow lake. A severely torn tramp, probalby the original, and work kept me from putting it in the water last year. This year I have started by removing a hull and taking all of the non-skid off one hull. I found similar thing to what you describe. The bottom was split nearly all the way from the bow to stern. Underneath the non-skid was a crushed area where someone had dropped something real heavy.

I looked on this site and others with regard to epoxy and fiberglassing. I've never fiber glass anything big before but it is going OK. I rabbited out a one inch area on either side of the center line and laid in a two inch woven fiberglass strip. I've laid a 3" matt over that and am doing a lot of sanding to fair it in. The boat had a lot of puncture holes in it and I've laid some very thin patch material over those just to be sure. I went with the two layers on the keel because I sail lakes with rocks and branches and concrete boat launches. So I do not want to be doing this again. Mine is a 1983 so it has held up through two owners with me being the third.

Be safe during the fiberglass work. I bought a decent respirator with HEPA cartidges. Though not as hazardous as asbestos, my dad has asbestosis and I thing only a fool would risk his end over a $40 respirator. If I was doing it over I would spend $100 on a full face mask. I also used a hazardous material suit to keep epoxy dust off me. You'll get enough by accident but it is worth it. I just take that suit off when I"m done and hose it off. The work is hard, especially in the heat of the early summer but it is fun to see it coming together. I just got my new tramp and it looks like I"ll get better than half the season in with even with another hull to do. I haven't decided whether to paint or to gel coat. I'd prefer to gel coat but there is a lot of sanding to make it right when you get done spraying. At least that is what I've read.

I was over 50 when I got my first boat and my first motorcycle. Both were someone else's old junk. I wouldn't trade either of them. I've had to work to get them in running shape but that has made the enjoyment that much richer. Less than $2500 for the pair. Yamaha Seca 750 for the record.

All the best to you ....

Scott

[Kevin Keller]

It really depends on how much your time is worth. If you have power tools it makes life a lot easier. If you a place to do it it makes it easier.

Sometimes it is worth it to pay more up front than spending a lot of time fixing something up. I have to occasionally relearn that lesson. You do learns some new skills which are always a good thing to have.

Are you able to get pictures?

[Mac M]

I'm going to take a closer looks at it this evening and will take photos. I do have most if not all the tools and plenty of room to do the work both in and outdoors. I do industrial sandblasting and painting for a living so have the painting part covered. I agree on spending a little more to avoid the work but there aren't many SC 20's out there to choose from. If I could find one in better shape I'd certainly go that route...

[Mac M]

Ok got some pictures yesterday. The first picture shows where the deck lid is separating from the hull and you can see a 'wrinkle' below that. I felt inside of the hull beside the wrinkle and couldn't feel any damage, the same around where the lid is coming up. I've got the same thing happening on the othe dull with the deck lid except it isn't as bad, picture included. There is also some damage on the stern where a limb fell across it, this should be a more straight forward repair. Repair advice welcome! The hulls are '83 btw

I've also got a loose bow tang to fix. From what I've been told I have to remove the lid over the tang and may have to replace the bulkhead if it's rotted plywood. If anyone has done this I'd love to hear about it as well. Lots of work to do haha

[Kevin Keller]

It doesn't look that hard to fix, especially if you have a place and tools to do it. Look inside at the forward bulkhead (under the forward beam) to see if it is separating from the hull. You can look at the pics from my posts for all your answers.

You could end up with a nice looking boat if you want.

[Kevin Keller]

Looks like a newer tramp installed.

[Mac M]

I'm bringing it to my shop in the morning and getting to work on immediately! It's got lots of nice parts, pretty new tramp, self tacker, sails with less than a season on them including a spin, tall rig with the double diamond wires... Hopefully I'll be able to post some progress soon

Mac