Any 24-28' sailboats with solid fiberglass decks??

[Motti123]

I know that some Triton 28's have solid (no core) fiberglass decks. Any others that folks know of?

Thanks,

Motti123

[mstern]

I'll bet there are some; many boats have solid epoxy areas where items are thru-bolted, but I suspect you are looking for a 100% solid deck configuration. Enquiring minds want to know: why do you ask? Are you looking for a boat with that feature? Although delamination and rotting balsa core material is a common problem in Good Old Boats, the basic cored design produces a deck that is stronger, more resilient and lighter than an all-fiberglass structure.

[Motti123]

Many of the boats I have been looking at seem perennially plagued by deck core issues. I figured if one model used a solid deck, it might be heavier and less stiff, but more resilient and involve lower upkeep over the long term. I'm very interested in Cal 2 25's right now but have seen and read some horror stories on the web.

[COOL]

Most '60s and early '70s production boats have
solid fiberglass decks, but with plywood laminated
to the underside. In some cases it would have a thin
layer of fiberglass cloth, some times just covered with
a fabric headliner.

[sailingfool]

Originally Posted by COOL

Most '60s and early '70s production boats have
solid fiberglass decks, but with plywood laminated
to the underside. ,,,.

No way, solid fiberglas decks are very unusual, largely present in some of the first run, early '60s glass boats like the Triton. Not a very useful criteria for selecting a boat, "very, very, very old" would work as well.

[scottyt]

the hunter 27 cherubini boats have solid decks, except they have AL plates where the deck hard ware is, and under the mast is plywood. they are very solid boats

[COOL]

Originally Posted by sailingfool

No way, solid fiberglas decks are very unusual

I alluded boats with solid fiberglass decks with laminated
plywood reinforcement, which is how the early Cals, and
Islanders were built, as opposed to a cored sandwich
structure such as an Olson 30 or J24.

[Mechsmith]

Seafarers are all solid with plywood reinforcment under the deck hardware. My 29 also had the cockpit floor built up from underneath for wheel steering.

[mitiempo]

A boat with solid decks rather than core will be rare and just because the decks are not subject to water intrusion and rot doesn't mean there are not other problems. It all comes down to the maintenance of the boat through the years really. Hardware doesn't stay leak free forever and periodically needs rebedding. The best solution is to look at each boat on an individual basis. Most older boats might have some moisture around a few fittings which is an easy fix by rebedding the fitting and potting the holes properly. Some are disasters and need a lot more work and recoring. This should be apparent in a survey.

A friend across the dock has a Spencer 35 (similar to an Alberg 35) built in 1966 and it has solid decks without core. As you walk across the foredeck it flexes a bit which some find a bit disconcerting and I guess it didn't go over well with prospective buyers. Plenty strong enough though. Later Spencers were cored as were most boats at the time.

The best core materials are either end grain balsa which is common and foam which is less often seen. Plywood makes for a bad core because it is heavy and if water does get in the plies let the water travel a long ways. Balsa is end grain so water migration is generally not an issue if caught in time.

The best solution is to find a boat you like and check the deck for soft spots as well as checking the interior for water stains and leaks through the hardware attachments. Chainplates deserve attention as well. Also the tips here http://www.sailnet.com/forums/boat-r...trip-tips.html
will help when checking out a boat. If you want to go further with a boat get a survey.

I wouldn't let a cored deck stop me from purchasing and it didn't. I'd look for a boat I liked in good condition with evidence of good maintenance over the years. And don't let your search for a solid deck blind you to the many other issues that a boat can have.

Good luck.

[puddinlegs]

Originally Posted by Motti123

Many of the boats I have been looking at seem perennially plagued by deck core issues. I figured if one model used a solid deck, it might be heavier and less stiff, but more resilient and involve lower upkeep over the long term. I'm very interested in Cal 2 25's right now but have seen and read some horror stories on the web.

Deck core issues WILL happen at some point somewhere during a cored decked fiberglass boat's life. That said, while messy and kind of a pain in the arse, there are proper tools that make doing some of this work much easier than you might imagine. The horror stories... aside from boat design and initial construction it really depends on a particular boat's maintenance history. Survey's are your friend.