Cracking in bilge

[Roland Gendreau]

We're looking to buy a C34 and looked at one today that was generally in good shape equipped well and in the right price range.  It is a 1987 fin keel.

However, one issue has us concerned; in the bilge, where there are beams going athwartships, there were cracks in the fiberglass where each beam was connected to the hull. It looked to me perhaps to be the result of a hard grounding.

Has anyone else seen this, any idea what it might take to fix it?  should we just keep shopping?

I have some pictures of the cracks but dont know how I can post them in this forum

Thanks

Roland Gendreau

[APACHE]

Roland : I think that your best bet is to get a professional surveyor to look at the "cracks" rather than posting a pix on this net and getting a bunch of armature opinions.
I don't know the area that you're in, but it hard to believe that the boat was grounded sooo hard that it cracked the bulkhead.  A hard grounding would leave one hell of a dent in the keel - I'd think.  I'd send the pictures to Catalina and see if they would give you an opinion.
What you're looking at from the inside is epoxy paint over the glass/mat in the hull.  I'd think that a "crack" would leak if the boat is in the water.  Clean out the bilge and watch it for a few days (no rain) and if it's dry - I don't believe the "crack" has violated the hull.
A few thoughts.  

[SailDan]

Roland,
I hate to question Ron's experience but, I have actually seen a boat with cracks in the bilge between the hull and the stringers (cross-members) under repair.  According to the owners, this occurred as a result of the boat hitting a submerged rock doing about 5 kt.  The end of the keel along its leading edge was dented and the boat had developed a "Catalina smile".  The dent was faired (filed) and the smile filled-in and painted by the boatyard.  The owner told me subsequently that the cracks between the stringers and hull were fiber-glassed and that the boats looks and sails great.
However, per Ron's suggestion, I would definitely have a professional survey before buying the boat.
Dan  

[Jeff Tancock]

My boat has some fairly significant cracks where you describe. I have been told a couple of times that it is just the epoxy paint that has cracked and pulled away from the fiberglass. It bothered me at first but I did as Ron suggested and checked for leaks - it's totally dry. Please get it checked and let us know what the professional thinks