Look inside the boat above the area where the keel shows the separation. If there is no damage inside or signs of water intrusion it is likely that it's simply some fairing material got cracked when the hull flexed from the impact.

It's generally the front of the keel that shows separation on Cats - it's called the "Catalina Smile".

Post some pics when you get it hauled.

 

If you have a visible crack in the hull skin, I think you need a proper assessment of the damage. Most such groundings will detach interior tabbing while the hull itself, esp single skin hulls, tend to absorb some of the energy without (at least visual) damage.

IMO....This would be a tough thing to properly DIY without considerable experience and knowledge...

Edited to ask.. in response to SJB's comment.. exactly where is this crack?

 

if the crack is back above / behind the back of the keel = I would pull it and have it inspected. I've found a rock up there before - luckily I was going less than a knot - I imagine 4+ to zero in very little space could cause some damage. Best of luck

Les

 

So the 3" crack is right behind where the keel attaches to the hull, running perpendicular.

No water inside the hull, no cracks on where the keel bolts live in the Bilge.

I DO have the Catalina smile, though it is not any worse than it was before the incident. Maybe while she is out I can have the bolts torqued...

I think Ill get it pulled and inspected, repaired professionally. I'll try and fix the keel dent for myself because that's an easy project.

Then maybe Ill tackle the bottom painting after the repairs as well, as it looks like the going rate is about $550 total for a bottom paint.

 

In order to fix it properly you might have to drop the keel and inspect/fix everything down there. Might be a good time to do it anyway, fixing the smile and inspecting/replacing keel bolts. You are lucky there was no leak after collision. You should have someone with you who has experience in these kind of repairs.

 

I guess it's best to pay for a professional to do it. It's nice to know there was no leak at all.

 

I've got a guy quoting 3500 for the following:

Tent, grind, repair keel ding on bottom. Grind and glass keel seam,
fair, barrier coat and first coat of bottom paint (this estimate is based
off a written description of the damage to the keel)

Also includes all the boat yard fees for haul and block, enviro fees, etc.

Does this sound like a reasonable price? Personally a bit more than I thought it would be, but then again, boat...

The other boatyard is saying they cant quote without seeing it first.

 

The other boatyard is saying they cant quote without seeing it first.

That might be the yard I would pick. Other guy is quoting fixing mostly the cosmetics. Just because the boat is not leaking now, does not mean that damage is only cosmetic. If your boat has structural damage due to grounding and is later subject to some serious wave action, a leak can easily develop, with potentially serious consequences. That is almost a classic scenario: boat hits a rock hard, keel is not properly repaired, boat gets into a serious storm, keel gets lose, a leak develops, and boat sinks. If the cost of a proper repair exceeds the value of a boat, you scrap the boat and get a new one. You can get a C27 for under 5 grand.
Or you can just patch it up and avoid rough conditions.

 

With a grounding where there has been hull damage due to the keel being pushed up in the rear, I don't see how any decent estimate can be made without a haulout and inspection. I would be concerned that this guy will say after hauling that the damage is greater than was described and increase the cost of the repair.

 

I have an 89 C30 so luckily just after they fixed the keel stub issue (mid way through 88). If you already had signs of the Catalina smile before the grounding and now have some visible signs of damage along the joint elsewhere after, then I think some further investigation would be needed before anyone could say what/when/how much. It sounds like there were already some signs of problems but the grounding may have moved up the time table.

 

I'm not an expert, but I am a long time Catalina owner. There is a thread on this site that talks about the grid system (your boat has a grid system). Educate yourself about this. Here is one place to start: http://www.sailnet.com/forums/sailb...ailboat-design-construction/242145-production-boats-grid-system-discussion.html

I would be cautious about a person who gives a quote without an inspection, including an inspection of the interior hull. In a 27 you can lift up flooring and see a lot of the grid to hull bonding. It's bonded with adhesive. That should give you a good idea of any damage to the structure of the boat. Chances are that you are going to be OK (these are pretty tough boats), but you want to make sure. Repairing grid to hull damage is complex but do-able. If your grid to hull bond is good, Check your keel bolts. Are they torqued correctly? If so, I would think that you could go forward with the repair you've outlined earlier. Keep us posted on how it goes. This is very interesting. Good luck.