cracks, leaks, foam, and old bad work.

We have a 22' C-Dory made in 2007 and have not had any problems with it. We have about 110 hrs on it we are now in FL for 6 to 7 weeks with it. We will be boating around Fort Myers Beach. Have good boating Jim & Sandy
 
yeah right if it floats , it flexes ....dont care what u got all gellcoat craizes . dont like it try steel ,alum., wood . sounds like factory will take care of it ....john
 
The question is how much flexion is acceptable. One our racing sailboats we loaded the backstay (and consiquently the forestay) at 6,000 lbs with hyrdaulic back stay adjustors--not much evidence of movement of the boat, even with these loads. The problem is flexing of the hull, to the extent that cracking of structural elements occur. If there is unsufficient glass--as in the transom of my 2003 CD 25, the cracking is far more significant, than a few spider crazes, related to heavy gel coat.

Below are photos of the cracks on my Tom Cat 255. The boat is less than 2 years old. The cracks are getting bigger. Note that here is badly preped overspay of gelcoat, which does not quite match the color of the molded gel coat, which was present when I took delivary of the boat. There is a fairly large area (a sq foot or so total) in this area which has obviously post mold gel coat. Not sure why. Was there cracking or loss of gel coat as the boat was pulled from the mold?

The largest crack is over 3/32" deep--more than the gel coat. I have not yet ground it out, to see how deep it is, nor have I watched it as we ran the boat over heavy chop, to see if it flexes (which I suspect it does).
crack_in_gel_coat_Tom_Cat.sized.jpg
 
Whoa, Bob. :shock: I've got a TC255. Where are those cracks, do you have a bigger picture to show the location?? :?:

Charlie
 
sorry Bob, that one wasent aimed at you. the pic looks like gel crack / only way to tell is V it out and have a closer look . agree with u on structial integerty.if it was bad when poped out of mold , for any number of reasons ur just gonna have to let the mfg. repair it . let us know how it turs out . if its to labor intesive ,mabey they will give u a new boat, just kidding im sure they will get it right for you . john
 
John,
You don't know the history. For the most part I have done a number of hours of repairs on C Dory boats I have owned for several reasons, including that the dealer is 30 miles by water, then about 200 miles by trailer, plus he does not have a full time glass person. I have the expertise and have done this type of repair several times--as well as having a gal who is very good with gel coat available to work with me, when I don't do the heavy work anymore. (Even that requires a 30 mile run by boat to the shipyard--and haul etc.

Charlie, I took that photo at 6 AM this morning before the heavy weather came in. I can get better photos. It is on the inner side of the cockpit combing right aft of the main cabin pilothouse aft bulkhead on the stb side (basically on the inside of the gunnel as you board into the cockpit on the Stb side).

The "usual stress cracks" are like the small radial cracks you see in the photo--I am concerned where the chip is breaking loose--and that is where I am concerned that there may be some glass defect.

One of the several defects I noted at delivary was that there was overspray of a slightly different color gel coat on the cabin house below the "Tom Cat" logo, back into the cockpit--and including this area. To my knowlege the dealer did not have anyone work on the boat after it had been trucked across the US, so it is my assumption that this was done at the factory. There was also apparently a hause deck pipe, and a different cleat on the foredeck. This was filled, and new nowskid scarfed into the area of the defect. This also shows on examination. Not much can be done about that type of defect--Frankly when I found all of the defects I almost refused to take the boat....But life is short and I wanted to play with my toy....At some point there will have to be more cosmetic--and I hope that it is only cosmetic work. Other issues, remain, I cannot fill the stb tank fully, I suspect that the vent tube is too long. C Dory's response was to tell me to call the tank builder. Fine, but the boat has to be cut apart to take out the tank, so I live with the sllightly less capacity or fuel out the vent, instead of cutting the boat up. Most of the rest of the defects I have fixed--except the anchor locker....We are not toing there tonight.
 
Bob, you must just be unlucky with C-Dories and Fiberglass :cry: . I don't think I have any of those problems on my TC255, I've got hull # 16. Maybe it was during a particular time at the factory? I'll take a careful look at Captain's Cat but I think it's fine. :thup

Charlie
 
Charlie, I suspect that my boat has been run harder than yours. Although yours is slightly older, I suspect I have more miles, I have the larger engines, and have run a number of times into 2 to 3 foot waves at 25 knots. The boat runs well on top--and badly at displacement speeds when going into chop like that. We have also "tested" it in the pass with larger seas--and the ICW with larger wakes etc. The boat should stand up to this..

The CD 25, is definately factory defect. Don't know about this one--but it is interesting that this is appearing mostly on the Stb side, where it was sprayed with new gel coat....There is one craze on the port side, in a different location....
 
Bob: If you take on the responsibility and expense of repairing the cracks shown in your photos, you're a "better man than I". This is exactly the type of thing that should fall under the 5 year hull warranty. Good luck with the repairs however you decide to resolve them. Mike.
 
yea i didn"t know the history , that "s a horror Bob . even though it sounds like a nightmare just gettin there, the factory has to stand behind thier warranty, don"t they? just like you said running up on top of alittle chop is exactly what that cat is made for/probably less srtess than punching through each wave,i agree.the rest of the owners on this site should be concerned also.it dont matter if u were gonna take the boat or not, u did ,u paid for it ,and the mfg.owes you to correct it .listen i know i "ve been blowin in the wind on this site hear and there.,but most glass work i do is for totally different reaasons , my friends wellcraft is in my shop as we speak for a new floor & motor mount stringers but his 233 is also a 1986 understandable we know its old junk . no reason to have cracks like that on a new boat/somethings wrong there , i know i"m not tellin you anything you dont already know. and hope i did not agrevate you ,i feel for you , really stinks to hear such good things about a mfg. and then hear about what you are going through ,dont sound like a small boo boo at all.you contribute a lot to this site , and its always positive helpfull info .sincerely hope the factory treats you in a similiar professional manner. keep us informed.............gettin late , startin to get sleepy my self //////////john
 
thataway":o7levtf9 said:
Charlie, I suspect that my boat has been run harder than yours. Although yours is slightly older, I suspect I have more miles, I have the larger engines, and have run a number of times into 2 to 3 foot waves at 25 knots. The boat runs well on top--and badly at displacement speeds when going into chop like that. We have also "tested" it in the pass with larger seas--and the ICW with larger wakes etc. The boat should stand up to this..

The CD 25, is definately factory defect. Don't know about this one--but it is interesting that this is appearing mostly on the Stb side, where it was sprayed with new gel coat....There is one craze on the port side, in a different location....
Click to expand...

Bob, you're most likely right! The previous owner didn't run her much at all and I've only put about 50 hours on it. A couple of those hours though were across the bay from where we live, about 20 miles or so to Smith and Tangier islands in a 20-25knot head wind with 2+ foot chop. Not that we were in a hurry but I had two grandkids up in the bunk squealing and bouncing off the overhead. They loved it!

Charlie
 
Hi Folks,

After reading this story about stress cracks and leaks in a 2005 C-Dory, I think I shall go over me 1983 C-Dory with, as they say, "a fine tooth comb" and check everything out from stem to stern, before I put everything back on board my boat.

I think this should be done periodically so we catch something before it becomes a real problem.

Now all I need is cooperation from the weather Gods.

Fred
 
I am posting a general photo of the area of the crack on the Stb side.
The second is a slightly more detailed photo, showing that the thickness of gelcoat which is cracking.

I am not doing contacting the factory until I see if there is "movement" in the crack when underway.

Crack_in_C_Dory_004.sized.jpg
Crack_in_C_Dory_006.sized.jpg
 
hope they did a good job glassing under that grand canyon size crack. youre a better man than i,cause i"d bring it back before it turns youre cat into a S P O N G E !...........
 
That is a whole lot bigger than a simple stress crack.... I would definitely have the factory look at that sucker.... might need reinforcing on the back side.... it does look as if the gel coat is thick... but still, thats huge.

Joel
SEA3PO
 
thats nothing you should see what I have. Some are bigger and some are a little smaller.
 
starcrafttom":18wipqcn said:
thats nothing you should see what I have. Some are bigger and some are a little smaller.
Click to expand...

C'mon Tom. This is a family website. No need to get personal!!! :oops:

Charlie :lol:
 
Bob - sure sorry about all the problems you have had with your Tom Cat. If anybody can fix them, I know it will be you.

I hope the factory will do something for you to make up for your troubles, because I know you will be the one doing the repairs.

Good luck
________
Dave dlt.gif
 
yea Bob, Old growth said what i was thinking but ,was sorta scared to say .might be one of thoes /do it right /do it yourself/things .if u weren
"t so far away i"d give u a hand myself.i" m sure you will let us know when you figure it out ,were pullin for ya >>>>>>>>>>john
 
Bob , just looked at your album for the first time, and could not believe my eyes. dont know what to say after that .? pictures dont lie,& are worth a 1000 words. hear from u soon bud .``````````john
 
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