C34 Hull Integrity

[waterdog]

I'm sure many of you are eagerly working on your own test programs and gathering you own empirical data, but I thought I would share the following with you.   

All my sailing days I have had this fear of hitting a log at speed and punching a hole in my boat.   You see up here they still tow around log booms.   They can and do break up and logs tend to drift around loose.   If you grab on to one of these logs and plan on taking home to mill it into lumber, the forest companies will claim ownership and sue you.   If it knocks the leg off your Bayliner and leaves a hole in the transom sinking your boat, the forest companies will claim that it just a tree naturally washed down the river and they are at a loss to explain where the bark and branches went or how it received the clean saw cuts.

But I digress. 

The subject in question was 8" in diameter and about 15 feet long.   It was happily rolling sideways in seas that were about 4 feet.   

I was on a nice reach doing about 6 knots as the winds were dropping.   

I hit the log right on the end. 

I'm pleased to report that some combination of hull shape and layup schedule on the C34 makes it invulnerable to breach if you hit the log at the correct angle.   No word yet on the bottom paint.

I will let you know any further test results as the program continues. 

[Jon Schneider]

Was it a softwood or a hardwood?  Seriously, I'm glad you and the Black Dragon came through the experience unscathed. 

BTW, I do not plan on seeking to provide any further empirical data to your experiment.    

[waterdog]

Good point!  It was softwood.  These results will not necessarily be valid for maple, oak, or ash. 

That reminds me.   There were two other attempts to sink the boat last week, but I think I need to post under a separate topic heading...    "vented loops on head intake"   "attempted infiltration by sea monster" "whose been plumbing your head?"  and the like.   

[Jon Schneider]

I think you'll get record-breaking readership if you put "sea monster" in the subject ;)

[Steve Sayian]

Hi Jon,

I'm heading to Mattituck, Long Island this Thurs afternoon to help a Canadian friend bring his newly acquired 1986 C-34 back to Boston.
Not sure where Greenport is in relation to Mattituck but if it's close, maybe we could hook up for a 'cold one'.

Steve

[waterdog]

I think you'll get record-breaking readership if you put "sea monster" in the subject ;)

You were right Jon.   It's kicking butt.   More than doubled readership on "C34 Hull Integrity"...