Re: 24' 1975 Hull on EBAY
 

Pic #2 is the missing glass at the strake where the crack is on the inside of the hull, outboard of the port stringer. The deck and cockpit liner would need to be removed, as it is one piece, to remove the stringer and fix the crack. I could not see where the crack ended as it was under the cockpit sole, but estimated at 6 feet visible from about 1 foot forward of the transom.
If you note the deck hatches are missing in the eBay ad, it is because one was broken, and I could not find suitable replacements, without cutting the holes larger, so I removed both hatches, and put white Lexan covers over the holes with SS bolts and little SS trim rings. It looked pretty good, even close up.

Re: 24' 1975 Hull on EBAY
 

Scary!!!!!!!!!!

Re: 24' 1975 Hull on EBAY
 

In hindsight, I should have kept the boat and fixed it. I really did like the it. It would run about 70, and handled great. It definitely needed some TLC when I got it, as the prior owner had absolutely no clue about boats.

Re: 24' 1975 Hull on EBAY
 

Looks pretty good to me in that pic.

Question is, How did it crack???

Re: 24' 1975 Hull on EBAY
 

My theory, anyway, is that the hull was twisting, due to the rear seat being modified incorrectly, and losing the "bulkhead" effect at the front of the engine bay. The engine was mounted incorrectly also, which I didn't realize, as well as being loose on the port side. I found these issues when pulling it apart after the fact. I also discovered, after cutting up an identical hull, some poor manufacturing methods, as well. After looking at the construction methods used, I could see deficiencies in the lay-up, that could easily lead to fracture/failure in the composite structure. An example would be: At the strake, the roving was bent 90 degrees to one strand, and parallel to the other. This would make the structure strong one way, but weak the other, which is exactly where the failure occurred. Typically today's methods fill the strake, then lay-up over that, as well as a 45 degree angle across sharp corners (biaxial cloth). That eliminates the weak spot. Also the stringers were not profiled to the bottom, but just plain square boards that contact the hull with a small area (the corner). The glass lay-up over the stringers has a large air space between the square board and the angle of the hull.

Re: 24' 1975 Hull on EBAY
 

The power of OSO shows its strength again. Might still be a good project to fix, and yes all those little items do add up, but at least the history of the boat is out in the open now.

Good luck rchevelle71 on the job interview. As far as the boat, if its not meant to be then it aint meant to be. Allways have another one around the corner.

E.S.

Re: 24' 1975 Hull on EBAY
 

David, was it a different one that you started a project on? Did you ever finish it?

Re: 24' 1975 Hull on EBAY
 

The one pictured here almost sinking is the reason for the other project boat that I picked up from Sharkey. If I had gotten his boat first, and kept this one, instead of a different project boat altogether, it might have turned out different, as I would have had all the parts needed. But such is life. Then I got sick 3 years ago with the same problem that is still plaguing me today, and caused me such financial damage, I had to scrap the whole project. My family's survival must come first.

Re: 24' 1975 Hull on EBAY
 

Sorry to hear that David.

Re: 24' 1975 Hull on EBAY
 

mine is 4 yrs. newer and does not have holes in it. :D
sorry had to hi-jack this one. :drink: