Thoughts on ocean crossing in an old boat

[lsheaf]

Hey folks, what are your thoughts on ocean crossing in an older fiberglass boat? Do you think the fiberglass on some of these 50 year old boats have deteriorated and lost a lot of its strength?
Logan

[atomvoyager]

I don't see any sign that the fiberglass is losing its strength on old boats unless it is in some areas affected by severe osmosis or lightly built layups that had been flexing too much even when newer. But even those faults are fixable, either by osmosis repair below the waterline with added glass or by adding interior stiffeners glassed in where the hull is flexing. Maybe some boats have other issues but I haven't seen much of it. In some rare cases the glass layup was resin starved or had other defects so there are always exceptions. It's not the glass itself that is coming apart but sometimes bulkheads come loose and they can be retabbed. It's all the other issues on old boats that cause all the concern and work to set right.

[lsheaf]

Thanks for the reply. I know we have spoken about adding stiffeners and am getting closer to glassing those in using pieces of urethane foam as a form. Just to confirm, it’s okay for the stringers or stiffeners to be partial and not large lengths of the hull longitudinally. I was slightly concerned about creating hard spots where meeting the stringers even if they taper down.

[atomvoyager]

I know some people talk about avoiding "hard spots" when glassing in bulkheads but I've found that is not a concern in most situations. It's not an issue at all on glassed in stringers and stiffeners. It shouldn't matter how long or where they are.

[CharlieJ]

I don't have the ocean miles that Atomvoyager dos (hi guy- enjoyed the day an lunch with you and Mei) but I've got some 12,000 ocean cruising miles on my 1961 Meridian(Phil Rhodes design) I'd not hesitate to sail her anyhere

[atomvoyager]

Charlie, good to hear that you and Tehani are still around. I think it was about ten years ago when we saw you here in Brunswick on your way to cruise the Chesapeake Bay, We're still here fitting out boats and doing mostly local sailing in recent years. Hope to see you if you pass this way again sometime.

[CharlieJ]

Thanks and say hi to Mei for me- she's a great cook

Tehani is still here, but suffered some fairly minor damage in Hurricane Harvey. I say minor because 14 boats in the marina were sunk- every boat opposite her on the dock !! I suffered a back injury ( from my own stupidity) and have had back surgery- two steel rods added so have not been able to do the repairs. Improving and hoping this summer will see them done.

would love to cruise that way again one day