C&C 29.7: bulkhead splitting

[sobolevskys]

We are considering to buy a C&C29 1977. She is in perfect condition other than concavities/invaginations along the bulheads bilaterally from the outside of the hull. Examination inside the boat demonstrated no evidence of bulkhead splitting. However, I wonder if the splitting is underway but has not yet manifested itself, or we may have missed it. It looks like the stays were at excessive tension, either due to racing or overtightning. Is it possible to repare if splitting is indeed present? What is the way to diagnose splitting definitively?

[sailingfool]

25 years ago I raced against a fellow who had just bought a 29. He dimpled the hull the first season by over tensioning the rig. That winter he set the boat up with an auto jack crankedup athwartships inside, removed the dimples, I don't know what else he did internally, or if the removal was permanent as he sold the boat that Spring.

My opinion would be to move on, and even more, would be to consider the C&C 30 mark I. The 30 sells for about the same cost as a 29 but is a far better boat, considering room, construction, performance and most anything else, based on my experience as a former owner of same. I doubt you'll ever see a 30 with a dimpled hull.

Good luck.

PS - PM me the sail numbner of the 29 and I'll tell you if its the same boat...

[hellosailor]

Its hard to say what you are seeing. If bulkheads are tabbed properly they float on the hull, if they are attached directly they can cause hard spots and some curving in the hull would not be unusual after 30 years.

But as to buckling and splitting, if you mean in the fiberglass, that needs to be ground away and rebuilt and refinished if it has split fibers. On the wood bulkheads, if there is no visible damage there probably is no damqage. Look to see if they have shifted at joints or behind decorative moldings, look to see if the chainplates have shifted or the bolts in them pulled sideways in their holes. See if any doors and drawers close properly, or bind, indicating a distortion in the shape.

If you are not familiar with this stuff, it probably pays to have a surveyor come out and make your sale arrangements "pending sea trial and survey" to make sure a pro doesn't find other damages you might not notice. If the boat is so cheap it isn't worth the price of a survey...well, that's possible too, just remember that repairs or disposal can cost more than a boat does!