Catalina 30 Sump Wood Core Repair

[sludaddy]

Hello,

I am interested in buying a used Catalina 30. I know of a C30 owner that had an issue with a wet wood core in the sump of the boat that led to some cracking of the outside fairing joint where the hull mates with the keel.

They had this issue professionally repaired by having the keel removed, the sump wood core replaced with fiberglass, reattachment of the keel and repair of the fairing joint.

My questions are:

Is this a common issue with the C30?
Is this an acceptable long term repair? In other words, if it is done correctly, should there be any concern for future structural issues?

Thanks for your help.

Mike

[camaraderie]

Yes...it is done all the time and yes the repair is fine and permanent. The wood core was stopped after 1986 as I recall so anything after that date should not need the repair...and many of the earlier boats have had the repair done already. No worries...but it is good you are aware of this issue before purchasing!

[sailingdog]

Yeah, it is common enough that they even have a name for the condition. It's called a Catalina Smile.

[JohnRPollard]

Welcome to Sailnet!

I seem to recall that someone posted info about completing this repair, here on SailNet. I think a member named MaineSail has commented knowledgeably about it as well. Maybe worth a search?

P.S. I'm moving this thread to Gear&Maintenance, which is a better fit.

[davidpm]

I believe the factory procedure does not include removing the keel.
They show removing the glass in the bilge to get to the plywood which is dug out then filled with solid glass.

I would want to know why the keel was removed. Maybe something else was dealt with and the smile done at the same time.