minor grounding
hi Willie I suspect the only thing damaged was your paint.This past feb. I drilled a couple of 3/32 holes in the forward base of the keel to drain some trapped water...1 1/4 inchs thick ! ! I doubt a little bump and grind did much to that ! Keep motoring. ps..what hp is your motor? Frank#50
hull thickness
Ariel 338 MAY have similar thickness on the very bottom edge of the keel. I would not bet on it. When the encapsulated keel cavity was drained and filled there was plenty of opportunity to visibly see the thickness of the hull.
The thickness of the hull was never more than 3/8".
In the back of the keel forward of the rudder there may be a too high percentage concentration of polyester to fiberglass for good strength.
An Interphase probe was installed low in the stem requiring a fairly large hole for the sensor. The thickness of the stem was just about the same.
Last edited by ebb; 03-25-2005 at 08:41 AM.
Ebb When I was drilling drain holes on #50 , 2 holes on the side of the keel , both approx. 7in up from the base , showed a thickness of 3/8 - 7/16. I installed a new through hull for a raw water pick up for the sink just before the "turn to the bilge" and it showed 5/8. I suspected the 1 1/8 to 1 1/4 I found at the forward base of the keel was due to overlap of roving . ??? Any thoughts?
It should be noted that in earlier numbered boats the hull thickness may have been greater than in the later numbered boats.
There you go Frank.
Very very good quality polyester obviously was used by Pearson in the '60s.
Grinded a whole lot on the laminate and it is real tough stuff. The resin to glass schedule to my amatuer eye looks right every accessable surface inside the hull. I've seen no puddling or starving. The only real problem with saturation (and fit) was at the lazarette bulkhead - everyelse the laminate is good and strong.
Along with the stringer and its tabbing it is probable that the tabbing used by the factory to hold the cabin sole and settees and bulkheads in adds significant stiffness and strength to the hull. Guess the schedule for the hull laminate totaled out at 3/8s with tabbing and overlaps adding 1/8" or more in places.
Navy did tests a decade ago on old frp barges they had. (Have to assume the polyester was similar to Pearson's.) No deterioration in overall strength was found. Would think the more active hull of an old sailboat would be a good indicator. In itself the laminate is as strong as the material can get, imco.
On the right reef, or picked up and thrown at a piling by a comber, I would call on the luck of 'The Way' and a pinch or two of 'Ave Maria' to save our butts.
Last edited by ebb; 03-25-2005 at 09:56 AM.
hull thickness
Bill , Ebb I'm sittin here thinking and when I drilled for a new head discharge the hull was 3/8. What I found was VERY inconsistant thickness's. Forward 3/8 just below the waterline ,forward high on the topsides,my anchor locker drain hole 3/8 , aft 5/8 below waterline at the turn or the bilge ,side of keel 3/8-7/16 , and the 1 1/8 at the forward base.???????But back to the original question.....at low speed I still doubt much damage other than paint.
Frank, it's a nissan NS5B. 5hp long shaft 2stroke, weighs 44 lbs.Through the prop exhaust, no problem with the lid closed yesterday. Very little exhaust at all noticable.
I think where she ran up on the rock is a pretty solid and tough area.(the boat! rock too for that matter!)
I remember drilling drain holes around the keel while on the trailer, but couldn't get to the VERY bottom. You know, what she sits on. I can imagine it being pretty darn thick under that lead, having an idea of the mold, glass, resin...building process. .and the overlap you speak of. It supports the whole weight of her on the hard, so can't imagine it doing much in the water where the majority of the boat is still afloat. But we are talking HARD basalt rock here. And maybe 1/2 knot. 5 knots? Yeah, i can imagine some damage.
How hard is coral?
If i did hole her, the ballast cavity would fill up first, right? Guess if she's still afloat when i go down tomorrow, i'll feel better. Sure a sick feeling hearing and feeling her hit. I can't imagine being the skipper of a 90' schooner, 30 yrds. off the beach and having it happen. Churn churn.
I see they got her off last night.
Last edited by willie; 03-25-2005 at 10:33 AM.
wet willieave maria
My Grandad Said;
"There are two kinds of sailors, those who have run aground and liars !"
Welcome to the club!
If you haven't run aground , you haven't done enough sailing.
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