Balsa Core Construction

Da Nag & Sea Wolf...

I have reread some of this Marine Surveyor's material, based on your stated concerns, and I can see what you're talking about. C-Dory has went to great lengths to provide a quality product. That is exactly why I purchased my C-Dory and I was fully aware of the Baltec construction.

This surveyor does appear to overstate his concerns with boat manufacturers who build core bottom boats. I absolutely don't agree with his general consensus towards this type of construction.

Mass production of these boats and poor quality controls are a major factor in the resulting black mark against this type of construction. At the consumer level, the boat owner must realize his responsibility to protect this core from water seepage to enjoy the boats performance for many years.

It was never my intention to spread panic!

Bill :oops:

PS - I don't think I have rehashed an item previously discussed. I did not ask a dumb question about core construction. I only posted 4 web sites from a marine surveyors experience. Where does multiple engines enter into this topic? :shock:
 
Multiple engines didn't until Sea Shift brought it up. Wouldn't be the first time we got off topic, was only for a microsecond tho!! :lol: :lol:

Remember the spoof article a few years back about sheathing fiberglass boats in wood to prevent the glass borers? It was in one of the boating mags, probably WoodenBoat! :mrgreen:
 
C-Bill":3h9adojx said:
PS - I don't think I have rehashed an item previously discussed. I did not ask a dumb question about core construction. I only posted 4 web sites from a marine surveyors experience. Where does multiple engines enter into this topic? :shock:
Click to expand...

Hi Bill,
It is certainly great to have you "on board" the site with us! Welcome!
Anytime we discuss an item we've previously discussed, it seems that someone is ALWAYS able to shed a new bit of valuable information on the subject.....so certainly no question in my mind is a "dumb question" and I always seem to gain additional knowledge when others join in on the discussion that perhaps were not involved in previous discussions of the same subject. I merely posted the comment about engines, (as a joke) :wink because that is an example of a subject we have discussed numerous times. The last time "twin vs. single engines" came up for discussion, someone contributed some thoughts that had never been mentioned before. So, I again gained some thoughtful insight from another C-Dory owner.
The contributions of everyone that posts on the site has made me enjoy my C-Dory more than I ever expected from ownership of a boat.
Great Boats - Great Boat Owners! :thup
 
Dave,

Just trying to get the monkey off my back today (you're right there are no dumb questions!). C-Dories are very good boats and I'm proud to have had mine since late 1990. It has been an excellent boat for me. My boat is currently in the shop at Kent, WA for some upgrades. It's going to see some duty along the No. Cal & Oregon coastlines. It really is a kick to encounter other Dory owners along the way. :lol: :lol:

Bill
 
Bill,
You should join us at the Lopez Island Gathering 4/30 - 5/2, seeing as how your vessel is already up this way at the factory.
 
Hi Folks,

I just completed a rebuild of the stern of my 1983 22' C-Dory. When I purchased the boat, I knew that there was a problem. I drilled four holes on the top of the transom and poured Epowy in to the holes. One hole took four plus "pours". It did the job, stiffining up the transom. When I re-engined to a 75HP 4 stroke Yamaha, I had the transom rebuilt, from the inside out. The outside transom was not touched. The core was a mess.

I have come to a conclusion that if you have anybody put screws into your boat, especially a mechanic, pull the screws and make sure they were well caulked. I have found that many do not care. A small example was that when they put a new dual battery switch on the boat, they screwed it in. The screw points were exposed inside the locker and could have caused damage to equiptment. I replaced with nuts and bolts. It may seem a small issue, but my opinion of the dealer went into the gutter. It will cost them money from me in the future. I will bring it up, but I do not think they care or understand.

Just a "food for thought."

Man-From-Nantucket
 
Thanks Dave,

Maybe another time. I really like the Washington area. My son was stationed at Bremerton, on sub duty. I've heard stories of private boats being towed in the Strait of Juan De Fuca and not by big fish!

While my boat is being worked on in Kent WA, my Yamaha 90 is getting serviced in Sacramento. The boat hasn't been gone 2 weeks yet and I find myself getting up to go outside to work on the boat, then I realize it's not there! I hope to have the boat home before 4/30.

Thanks Again,


Man-From-Nantucket

I've heard that more often than I care to recall. I have my fingers crossed right now because a dealer in the Reno area mounted a trolling motor bracket and didn't seal the bolt holes properly.

Bill
 
Guys and gals, I live less than 20 miles from where Trojan Yachts were built. They used Balsa cores. In the latter stages of the company before they went under, the biggest thing that literally took them down was the stability of their hulls and superstructure. Bottom line all, the through the hull fittings leaked past the gel coat to a less than perfect protected balsa core. That's how Trojan fell from grace. There are still a lot of Trojans out their on the water, however, you can bet the owner corrected the faults in the through the hull construction. But by and large Trojan go a bad name in the mid-class boating industry for resales. The resale prices confirm it. Butch
 
Butch and all Hard Core Balsa Core Fans-

I think what this story points out is that there are great quality differences in balsa core construction.

Even if a screw hole or through hull fitting is not properly completely sealed, the damage should be only to those specific balsa squares cut into by the attached hardware. Around windows, hatches, and windlasses the damage will be the greatest because of the number of cells (squares) affected.

This is to be expected if the squares are properly wetted in the lay-up process which will put solid resin around each square on all four sides as well as top and bottom. Water cannot communicate between cells and damage adjacent cells that are not themselves cut into. Certainly a few bad screw holes do not make for an entire ruined hull or deck.

If, however, the lay-up is shoddy, e.g., does not isolate cells with dense, solid resin, the water then can move to adjacent cells, and the spreading of the damage continues from cell to cell as long as more water is available to continue the process.

Take a balsa cored boat of this grossly inferior lay-up process, add a few poorly installed and sealed hardware components, moor it in water in a warm (fungus loving) climate, and add a neglectful owner, and you get David Pascoe's classic totally ruined boat that can't pass the surveyors's inspection. Little wonder he dislikes cored construction in general.

We, on the other hand, know we have a quality laid-up hull of the very best components. We know how to correctly install hardware in it while sealing the core. We know enough to check for continued hull soundness. And, if necessary, we know how to then to correct any developing problems.

Another reason to be glad you're a C-Dory Fan! Joe.
 
Sea Wolf I could have not said it better! I have several good friends that are boat surveyors transplanted from the NW and upper CA coast and they all say the Dory is a fabulously constructed boat when it comes to hulls, topside, and transom lay-up. A couple told me stories of Dory's that were not properly taken care of that were not sea worthy but by no fault of the initial construction. They pointed to through the hull fittings installed with only silicon on the outside of the hull, and shoddy hull repairs after minor bumps with hard bottoms and submerged objects.
Some people say i am nuts for the time I spend tending to the boat I have now, but when I put it in the slip in the each spring it looks and runs as good when I bought it in 97 and we use it all the time for the next 9 months.
This balsa core thread is good as it brings out numerous issues for just about any glassed boat. Later all! Butch
 
Hi folks.

I've got a 2001 22 Cruiser and have been lurking for a few years now.
Great site; I've used lots of the advice I've read.

Thought I would mention my only serious repair or fix I've had to do so far: one of the screws for the fuel tank strap and tank restraints (whatever you call them) had worked loose. After removing a few screws I found water in the balsa. Ended up removing both tanks and all screws going into the deck. Found water in 3 or 4. Did the drilling, routing out balsa, and epoxy bedding with lots of 5200 as others were recommending. The worst ones had water maybe an inch out from the screw holes. Used an allen wrench in a slow speed drill to route out balsa until I got to clean, dry wood. Also did the aft bilge pump just for kicks (it was fine).

It looks pretty solid now; hopefully it is. Seems like epoxy bedding these screws would be a good thing for the factory to do from a load bearing view. By the way, the balsa core is pretty thick - about 1 1/2 inches. I found it pretty interesting looking at it from the inside. Kind of nerve wracking too with that drill in my hand!
 
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