Hi

[Nautibuoy]

Hi, I am new to the forum.  I just bought a 1981 CP23, a trailer in very good condition, and a 9.9 Yamaha thrust outboard motor for $3850.  I am looking forward to working on her, and sailing her with my 6 year old son.  This is our first boat, and we are ready for an adventure!

There appear to be some stress cracks on the deck around the chainplates,  what is the best way to repair these stress cracks, are they a major problem?  Other than that, I don't see any pressing issues, only cosmetic items like finishing the interior.  The previous owner began refinishing work, and never finished.  Any other advice on typical probelms/things to look for?  I am sure we will be here often asking for advice and assistance.  

Thanks in advance.

Paul

[crbakdesign]

Welcome aboard Paul!

That's a hell of a great deal on a great boat.  

Fiberglass gel tends to develop "spider" cracks around stress points.  These aren't usually a problem.  Other's may have some ideas about repairs if you want to fix them.  

Make sure you post a shout-out on the map.

[timkil]

Hi Paul, I have the same cracks in the gel coat around the chainplates. Your local boat dealer will have a product called Gel Coat Repair that comes in a small tube with a plastic spreader. Squeeze it into the cracks, let it harden for about ten minutes, scrape off the excess with the spreader. After it cures completely put a good coat of wax on top. Mistakes can be cleaned up with acetone if you miss scraping it level in a spot.
Tim

[Craig]

A trick I read someplace is to take a can opening and scratch the cracks a bit deeper. that allows the repair gelcoat to get a better hold. I've done it and it works.

Craig

[TroyVB]

Welcome Paul,

I was wondering if you purchased the boat on ebay?  I was watching that one and it looked like someone was going to get a great deal.  Have fun.
We sail a CP16 but would like to move up to the 23 at some point.

[Nautibuoy]

Thanks for the tip on the gel coat repair kit.  I picked some up at the local West Marine, and it worked great!  

Yep, that's me.  Bought her on e-bay, almost lost her right at the end, but luckily I was online, and able to get a new bid in just in time.  

I haven't had a chance to get her out sailing yet.  Hoping to do the bottom job sometime next week, and then get her out the following weekend.  Marina slips are very hard to come by down here.  I may have to settle for storing her on the hard at a marina, and launching her from the trailer when we want to sail.  Don't know how well that will work out.  I'll keep you posted.

Paul

[Craig Weis]

Were out of the sun in Wisconson

:idea: HINT #1: "WAX on Wax off". Lots of wax. I use Mother's Gold about seven times before she goes into the water. Even wax the anti-fouling paint under the water line. Still there when I pull the boat out at the end of the season. And no grass. Were all fresh water up here. Don't know about salt.

My boat was built without these...Anyway I added safety stantions with life lines and a stern ladder plus a stern pulpit a few years ago and it was a bit of a hard fit but fun to do .

Had to bend and push and I made alum backing plates even though Hutchin boat has added plywood backing of their own fiberglassed under the deck. Additionally I made UHMW plastic to match the SS steel bolt pads on the pulpit...I still ended up with stress cracks and I filled these with the West Marine gel-coat filler.  :cry:

Works OK but the color does not match my hull color and I rubbed this material flush with the cracks to minimize its short comings. :wink:  

IT IS ALL DETAILS GUYS and GALS...The difference between a WOW! boat and a nice boat.

:idea: Hint #2: To drill a hole in the gelcoat put some tape over the area to be drilled. Drill slow. This seams to limit the chipping. Clean the hole with a rat tail file and use flat washers with 3-M 5200 slow set goop. skip.

[Gil Weiss]

Skip,

Good information and good post! I never heard of waxing bottom paint but whatever works is a good thing. I use water based Aquagard with great success.

My 1990 hull is in wow shape and stays fine all season. My issue is keeping the topsides clean, especially by August when the rain seems to have lots of dirt in it. By August the wax in the cockpit and on the deck seems to be gone and the dirt in the air seems to stick. I swab things down with Simple Green but eventually my boat starts to look dirty like everyone elses.Do you do the Mother's Gold thing on the whole boat?

My other problem is the brown fiberglass strip under the rub rail. It has faded from the sun and with some rubbing polishing/compound and wax it looks pretty good early in the season, but then gets the faded look later on. Since the boat stays in the water I can't really wax it again. I've talked to experts about the chalky fiberglass color and all I can say is to never buy a colored hull, despite how nice they look when they are new.

[Craig Weis]

Yes sir I use Mother's Gold on the whole boat. Takes a lot of wax and terry cloth towels form Target [never Wal-Mart since they want to invade our little town of 9700 people with a SuperCenter]

Anyway the non-slip comes out nice and the non-slip remains non-slip-enough for me.

And when you wash the boat I use Mother's car was soap and a big O'soft sponge. Copious amounts of water from the hose at the dock. Might be hard on the ducks but it's good on the boat.

When I do the bottom the third coat is not rubbed off. Just the first two. Looks like heck but it's under water. "Can't see it from Brussels" :lol:  

As far as that vinyl brown stripe [boot stripe] is concerned carfully wax it. Several times with Mother's and then consider the orange bottle of...what? 9000 washes or weekender 9000. Something like that. It is not wax as much as silicone.  [skip needs spell check!]  LOL C. J. [skip] Weis

I added more Com-Pac 19 pictures to our site gallery. Enjoy.