Pearson 33 with pressure dents from jack stands

[rdbeales]

1970 Pearson 33 Boat For Sale

I'm looking a this 1970 Pearson. Seems like its right up my alley. However, one of the jack stands has clearly pressed in the starboard bow. Its a big soft dent. No cracking of paint or gelcoat that seems to be related. Anyway, I was told that hulls will rebound from this kind of deformation once re-floated. Any truth to that? How serious is this kind of thing? I have no way of easily looking at the stringer locations and condition and such because of the fiberglass insert interior so I figured I'd ask here first.

Please give me reasons for your opinion, not just don't worry, or no way.
Thanks for your time.
Dave

[soulesailor]

It's true that fiberglass hulls are capable of flexing without permanent damage. The question is HOW FAR can it flex before this happens and has yours flexed this far? If the gelcoat and paint are not cracked that is a good sign. One thing you can do immediately is get another jack stand and put it right on the stem. This boat might be leaning forward a bit and putting pressure on the side stands, thus the extra pressure causing the dent. The stem will take this pressure much better.

To identify if there is fiberglass delamination you'll have to tap the hull and listen to the noises it makes. Or hire a surveyor to do this for you. Nice pingy noises are good; dull, mushy thuds are bad. You may want to add stringers to the interior of the hull if you buy it because it may be a combo of the stand placement and too large of an unsupported area in the bow without structural support. If this is the case you'll notice your hull flexing when sailing to weather, called oil-canning. All easily solvable with fiberglassed supporting stringers, as long as the hull hasn't delammed.

[sailingdog]

Any reason for double posting???