Hull Integrity of a Sunken Catalina 36

[nunzio]

I am thinking of buying a Cat 36 that was sunk with a 5X5 hole and apparently repaired by Catalina. It is a 1985 and the repair occurred 12 years ago. There appears to 5 be small cracks (5 inches or so) on the deck and by the portals above the repair on the starboard side midship.

My question is that if the repairs were done properly will the hull be as strong and are these cracks normal?



Thanks for any ideas.

[max-on]

This is not a direct answer to your question, and I am not being critical but need to ask when I see posts such as these, a Catalina 36 is not what I would consider a "special" boat, there must be dozens for sale in the market, why would you just not buy one that had not been previously sunk?

[artbyjody]

There are plenty of C-36s on the market - the cracks most likely are from residual stress caused by the repair being stronger than the surrounding areas. If I was you - I would skip on this unless it is a deal that can not be beat. A good surveyor will probably answer your questions more directly on the actual probably causes of the stress fractures - but just the cursory info - a five inch crack is not "normal" (small less than an inch crazing yes).

[camaraderie]

It is impossible to give an opinion without pictures...but there is much more to worry about with a sunk hull than merely the hole repair. Done correctly, holes in hulls can be repaired to be even stronger than original unless there is structural damage beyond a simple hole.
Other possibilities that may result from a sinking...keel/hull joint damage, deck saturation with core rot, engine destruction, wiring destruction, bulkhead integrity compromised, etc. etc.
The price needs to be VERY attractive to even consider such a boat and then ONLY with the advice of a very competent surveyor. You can easily own a cheap boat that will cost you FAR more to repair than the same boat in good condition on the marketplace.

[nunzio]

This Cat was given a new engine, upgraded rigging, and new interior which is very desireable in my price range. I wanted to get this group's opinion before I make an offer which will be followed by a marine survey.

The basic question again is since the repair was done by Catalina (which I assume was done properly) will the hull be as strong as before? Are these cracks (which may just be in the gel coat) be a concern?

[chucklesR]

"The basic question again is since the repair was done by Catalina (which I assume was done properly) will the hull be as strong as before? Are these cracks (which may just be in the gel coat) be a concern? "


Is the crack in the tree branch you are standing on only in the bark, or does it go all the way through?

Exactly, it's impossible to tell without looking isn't it?

[T34C]

When you say the hole was 5x5, is that 5 in. x 5 in., 5 in. x 5 ft..... ? Can you see the repair from the inside of the hull or do you have documentation on the damage/repair? Things like this tend to get minimized by owners when they go to sell.

[TrueBlue]

The bigger question in my mind, isn't how strong the hull is after repairing a 5" x 5" hole (if that was the actual size). My concerns would focus on the known corrosive effects seawater has on everything else, such as the many electrical and mechanical systems onboard. In many cases a sunken boat needs a complete gut and replacement of these components.

[nunzio]

The hole was 5 feet by 5 feet. I beleive the boat was put "back in the mold". The replacements (wiring, wood etc) were made by Catalina. The real question is the hull. Again guys just asking for a general opinion of the hull before I pay for the survey. If the answer is that a hull is never as good or there are always problems or the hull is done proerly will be as stongg as new.

[JT1019]

New engine, new rig, new interior = complete salvage boat. No matter how much time and money you put into the boat it will always have a scary history. I’m not saying that Catalina is not capable of a fantastic repair job however one can never be sure what issues will develop over time.

You get what you pay for (in most cases).