Reply to :: Catamaran Sailboats at TheBeachcats.com

Welcome anonymous guest

Please Support
TheBeachcats.com

Forums index page

Reply to: Broke my Prindle 19 - Repair Advice

Message body

[quote=mattson]Took the Prindle 19 out for Wet Weds last week in 20 kts gusting to 24 in steep waves.  I had a new guy with me probably weighing 210+ and 6'6", so a lot of righting moment on the wire. I am still proving this boat for Santa Barbara Channel crossings, so I was pushing it hard that night to make sure it would hold up.

It didn't.

I had two failures which I believe were simultaneous:

1. A failure of the twist toggle that attaches the shroud chain plate to the shroud tang.  This dismasted the boat.

2. A fracture on the inboard side of the starboard hull just forward of the front cross bar.

Either the failure of the hull put a shock load on the shroud, or the failure of the shroud put a shock load on the forestay. The main reason I believe these happened at the same time is the fragility of the hull after the failure.  I can move it side to side with my hand.  Had the boat not stopped immediately at the time of the failure, I would have lost the entire bow.

The twist toggle:

[img]http://www.catsail.com/p19/KIMG0145.JPG[/img]

Outside of the hull:

[img]http://www.catsail.com/p19/KIMG0134.JPG[/img]

[img]http://www.catsail.com/p19/KIMG0135.JPG[/img]

[img]http://www.catsail.com/p19/KIMG0136.JPG[/img]

Inside of the hull:

[img]http://www.catsail.com/p19/KIMG0137.JPG[/img]

The experts tell me this is repairable.  Also, I've spoken with a veteran at NACRA on the history of this boat.  This is a 1986.  In 1987 the design added a sub deck to the bows.  The 85 and 86 boats do not have it.  My boat only has a bulkhead under the front crossbar, and another 16 inches in front of the leading edge of the crossbar:

[img]http://www.catsail.com/p19/KIMG0142.JPG[/img]

So, in addition to the crack repair, I am going to reinforce both hulls. I am going to fabricate and install a fiberglass foam core sub deck running from the forward crossbar to the bows. The vertical position would be about 2/3 up the hull.  That is by hunch only. Opinions welcome.

Additional options I am considering in addition to the sub deck:

1. A layer of carbon fiber cloth bonded to the inboard sides of the bows.

2. A layer of carbon fiber cloth bonded to the inboard AND outboard sides of the bows.

3. A layer of carbon fiber cloth bonded to the inboard sides of the bows, a layer of foam, then another layer of carbon fiber.

4. A layer of carbon fiber cloth bonded to the inboard AND outboard sides of the bows, a layer of foam, then another layer of carbon fiber.

[b]Comments?  Opinions?  Advice?[/b]

Keep in mind that I am nuts, obsessive, and have a tendency to throw good money after bad with reckless abandon.[/quote]

No HTML tags allowed (except inside [code][/code] tags)