Which C&C sailboats have balsa cored hull?

[alexsails]

Good morning everyone,

I am considering getting into a cruising sailboat and after months of looking around I have my eyes set on C&C's.

I like the 33' the 34' which has great lines and the hard to find 35' but wan't to avoid a cored hull.

Sources on the web are not clear as to which models and years have cored hulls.

I know that cored hulls that have been taken care off will have no issues, but being "old" boats I don't want to take the risk, just avoid the extra thought.

Can anyone tell me which are cored and which are solid fiber by year and model?

thanks!

[boatpoker]

All C&C's over 32'

[paulk]

C&C was one of the first to go with cored hulls and decks as well. I believe the Mega may not have coring, but it also doesn't have the positive reputation of other C&C designs. You may be able to find a Pearson w/o coring, but then...it won't be a C&C.

[alexsails]

I just read this on another post:

""""Actually the two 33s represent two generations of design and are very different boats. The 33 mark I is a second generation C&C, while the 33 Mark II and 30 Mark II are third generation.

All C&C designs (except Landfalls) are performance boats positioned towards to the racing end of the racer/cruiser spectrum, although they can be cruised if you are comfortable with the limited amenities for the size.

The second genration designs (and first for that matter)have solid glass hulls constructed like the proverbial brick shithouse - I remember humming along at 7 knots under spinnaker when we bounced our C&C 30 Mark I over a rock, actually knocked everyone of their feet!, leaving a fist-size knuckle in the leading edge of the lead keel. Took about 30 minutes to fill the knuckle the next Spring.

In the third generation boats C&C went for greater performance (and lowered costs) by coring hulls. These hulls can''t take abuse like the older ones, and if damaged, can become expensive repair jobs for subsequent owners. No criticism of C&C here, just the risk of most cored bottoms.""""

Stating that the first generation 33 was solid. On the other hand a review by practical saolor (I believe it was) states that the 33 only used balsa on the forward panels of the 33 hull.

Still not clear.

Is there a way to obtain a build plan for the 33 mkI, mkII and mkIII?

Also how can one test a hull to check if its cored or not?

[CBinRI]

If you spend some time on the cncphotoalbum.com website, they have brochures for virtually all of the old C&Cs, which will tell you if they are cored.

[boatpoker]

George Cuthbertson (one of the "C's" and lives down the street), Jack Moles VP of Sales C&C, Rob Maurice ( another VP at C&C ) Nick Bailey Production Manager of C&C (now the fiberglass guy at DIY magazine ). I deal with all of these people on a regular basis and all have told me and about 200 C&C surveys have confirmed that all above 32' are cored below the waterline to within about 12" of center.

[Valiente]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

All C&C's over 32'

Not necessarily, if you stretch your definition to C&C designs. My Viking 33 is solid hulled, as are the Ontario 28 and 32s, I believe. Balsa decks without proper solid F/G "thru-deck hardware pads", however, are pretty well universal.

[boatpoker]

The question was I believe about C&C (built) boats not C&C designed boats

PS this does not include the FRP and steel powerboats they built

[sailingfool]

Boatpoker, you have some inaccurate information.

That was an old post of mine quoted above. The first and second generation C&C were solid glass hulls, then C&C introduced hull coring, generally in new models for "77-'78 and after.. It is a little tricky to figure out what generation a model fits into, but the following models are all glass: Mark I 24, 25 27, 30, 33, 35, 38, and Mark II 35. Some models I've lost track of...but the 34, 36 and newer models were cored.

You can determine whether a hull is cored by looking for the change in laminate thinkness that occurs where the coring is present. If you can follow the inside of the hull down from the deck joint, where coring is used, you will see a distinct ridge ( same with a deck...).

[Valiente]

Boatpoker, here's my backup:

Sailing Magazine

"The 35 predates C&C’s extensive production of cored hulls, and the hull is made of relatively thick, solid, hand-laid-up fiberglass. However, the deck is composite with a balsa core. The hull and deck are joined on a standard flange and bonded chemically and mechanically."

To my knowledge, pre-1975 C&C and C&C designs had solid hulls and cored decks. C&C had committed its entire line to cored hulls by 1980 or so, but there are plenty of solid hull cruiser-racers out there from the late '60s until the switchover. The very popular C&C 35 Mk. 1 appears to have been exclusively solid FRP in the hull (I am familiar with this boat from my club, as they tend to contain Atomic 4s, even now).

C&C 35-1(REDWING)

The C&C 30 Mk. 1 is also uncored: C&C 30

I would say this holds for the C&C 27 Mk. 1 as well, as cored hulls in 1970 would have been quite advanced for that price point.