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Conference unifix::sailing

Title:	SAILING
Notice:	Please read Note 2.* before participating in this conference
Moderator:	UNIFIX::BERENS

Created:	Wed Jul 01 1992
Last Modified:	Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2299
Total number of notes:	20724

1983.0. "Tartan keel joint?" by SMAUG::MORENZ (JoAnne Morenz IBM I /C Eng. 226-5870) Tue Dec 29 1992 13:45

 
I have been looking at upgrading to a bigger boat (up from a 25') and I have 
looked at a several Tartan Tens (30'). I found a couple of them had seam damage
near the keel and I was wondering if this is something that this particular make
of boat is nototrious for, or if it is just a coincidence. I don't know if the
damage was due to an impact or stress.....

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
1983.1	may not be a problem	UNIFIX::BERENS	Alan Berens	`Tue Dec 29 1992 16:41`	26
	re .0: I'm a little puzzled. What do you mean by "seam damage near the keel"? While I am not familiar with the keel construction of the Tartan Ten, it may well have external ballast (presumably lead) bolted to a fiberglass stub that is part of the hull. If this is the case, there will indeed be a seam in the keel that is actually the joint between the ballast and the fiberglass portions of the keel. Since it is difficult at best to get the top surface of the ballast and the bottom surface of the fiberglass stub perfectly flat, there will be gaps when the two are bolted together. Usually bedding compound is slathered on top of the ballast before it is bolted to the stub. Bottom paint does not typically adhere well to the bedding compound, and thus the joint is often visible. This is not necessarily a sign of a problem, damage, or improper construction. Several years ago we covered the joint on our boat with three layers of epoxy and fiberglass tape of varying width and then carefully faired the fiberglass stub and the lead ballast. Since then the joint has been quite invisible and there have been no cracks in the covering layers of epoxy/fiberglass. Alan
1983.2	Most Ten's were raced	LANDO::STONE		`Tue Jan 05 1993 08:05`	8
	Tartan Tens are primarily racing boats based on a Sparkman+Stephens (as most Tartans) hull plan. Compared to 1980's vintage boats, they are on the heavy side (read that as a major plus). Most aren't too comfortable below, however they have an excellent deck layout. You don't indicate the age of the boats that you've looked at. Stress cracking would make sense on older boats that have been raced hard. I know that other Tartans (30's 27's and 34's) do not exhibit a lot of keel joint flexing.