Southern Cross Hull Construction

[rdbeales]

1975 Southern Cross Cutter Boat For Sale

This description says the Southern Cross Hull is Foam Cored. Is that right, or is that a replacement/repair. I was under the impression that these boats were solid glass hulls. This is one of my top picks tight now so somebody please restore my confidence in this design or shatter my naive illusions.

This is a real cruising boat from the 70s, so its got to be solid right??

[rdbeales]

Apparently this has been answered and discussed everywhere. Sorry...

[Lion35]

I don't know these boats well, but a lot of people seem to hold them in very high regard. I was looking earlier this year and looked at another posting for a Southern Cross that said the boat had a foam core above the water line. I was suprised too.

Somebody here will know for sure and if there are certain years with solid glass or if this is just a mistake in the listings.

[camaraderie]

The Southern Crosses have FULLY cored hulls and Airex foam was used. Hull integrity is an issue especially around owner installed through hulls so that alway needs to be checked...but if the hull is good...these are fine cruising boats that are built to go anywhere.

[Jeff_H]

If I remember correctly, Ryder used a very high density Airex closed cell foam which is considered to have a very good track record. This was a product that was thought to have a memory meaning a lower likelihood of delamination and sheer failure and which performed well even if it was not completely sealed from water intrusion. The larger Southern Cross did one of the early single-handed around the world alone races taking a real beating and still coming back looking amazingly fresh.

Jeff

[sailingdog]

RDBeales-

Nothing wrong with a properly manufactured and maintained cored hull, especially if they used a foam, like Airex, as the core material. Foam cored hulls don't rot out like balsa cored hulls and decks do. IIRC, one of the people associated with CE Ryder used to demonstrate how tough the cored hull was by hitting it with a hammer. SC's are excellent pocket bluewater cruisers, and are one of the 20 boats in John Vigor's book for a good reason. While the SC designs are fairly early in the use of cored laminates, they seem to have gotten it right at least.

[dsmith1157]

I wouldn't worry about the Airex core. I've had my boat for 27 years and haven't had any problems at all. This is a very well made boat. The interior of the boat does not sweat as some do and the boat is warm in the fall and cool in the summer. When I had the boat made 1n 1981 they emphasized the Airex core as a selling point. If you want to know more about the boat check out this brochure.

http://www.msogphotosite.com/MSOG/pd...cross28bro.pdf

Don Smith
Rochester NY

[dsmith1157]

I saw the advertisement for the boat you are looking at. It's a great deal at that price. How can you loose as it has been surveyed. I am thinking of selling my 1981 (recent heart attack makes me afraid to cruise long range as I used to) and wouldn't let it go at that price. One caution though. These boats were sold in various stages of production. From the pictures, the one you are looking at does not have a factory finished interior. However it could be professionally finished. Can't tell from a picture.

If you would like to know more about my personal ecperiences with the SC 28 email me at:

dsmith1157@frontiernet.net

Don Smith