Catalina Smile?

[rcoleman67]

Hey guys looking at buying a 1989 Catalina 30. Following are some pictures of what I believe is a Catalina smile on her. Boat has crazing just aft of the bow, down both sides of the deck along the cabin, and long the topside around the cockpit/stern. Boat looks clean and everything is operational. Is this a smile and is it a big deal/deal breaker? What about the crazing? Can I just clean with acetone, lightly sand, and paint? This would be my first sailboat so I'd definitely appreciate some thoughts/guidance.

[Foswick]

This looks too low on the keel to be the classic "smile", but I'm not sure how this keel attaches on the C30. The crack also looks too irregular. Every keel separation I have seen has been a pretty distinctly straight line. Though, the fact that the cracks fore and aft line up - it does suggest a common separation along that plane.


If it is, indeed, keel separation, you can sometimes address it by either tightening the keel bolts and sealing the crack. But, it may involve installing supplemental lag bolts as adjuncts. We did this on our Catalina 27 just as a preventative measure since the existing bolts were pretty corroded.

The best advice I can give is to contact Catalina Yachts directly. I've talked to them a couple of times and they were super helpful.

I would also take a careful look at the rest of the keel. I don't have much to base it on, but this looks like a hard bottom strike to me, rather than simply loose keel bolts over time.

Myself: I have above average experience with these matters, and I don't think I would consider the boat without having a trusted technician give me their opinion and comparing that to what Catalina had to say about it.

[GordMay]

On most Catalina models [including the C30], older than late 1987, they laminated plywood into the keel stub. When it gets wet, it can cause keel stub delamination, and flex between hull and keel, and crevice corrosion on the keel bolts.

See:

Fixed Keel Repair and Maintenance ➥ https://www.catalinadirect.com/help-...d-maintenance/
Including:
Keel Crack Repair ➥ https://www.catalinadirect.com/image...6A1897FD18E009
Keel Stub Wood Removal ➥ https://www.catalinadirect.com/image...E92A3446873E02
Keel Bolt Retrofit ➥ https://www.catalinadirect.com/image...E19DB837CD43F7

[kayakerChuck]

Can you share pics of the crazing?

If you are somewhere with real winters, it's likely freeze damage resulting from a wet core. The balsa in the core gets wet, the water freezes, and cracks the fiberglass. The water also causes the core to rot.

It's fixable, but rarely worth the effort. If the core is wet, and the keel needs work- I'd suggest continuing your boat search.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by GordMay

…. they laminated plywood into the keel stub. When it gets wet, it can cause keel stub delamination, and flex between hull and keel, and crevice corrosion on the keel bolts.

]

What genius thought that was a good idea to use plywood? Or any wood?

[Cheechako]

The "Catalina Smile" is cracking in the HULL forward and or aft of the Keel stub, flexing of the hull from the lever arm of grounding etc causes it. The smile is not down in the keel itself. What you are seeing is likely cracking of filler where the keel is bolted to the stub.

[rcoleman67]

@Foswick - thanks for the reply sir. Will reach out to Catalina and seek additional guidance.

[rcoleman67]

@GordMay - thanks for the supplemental references.

[rcoleman67]

@kayakerchuck - thanks for the reply. Crazing is super bad. Almost a deal breaker. Keel pushed is over the edge so I'm gonna hold on this boat for now.

[rcoleman67]

@cheechako - how would they "fix" this? Or is it just cosmetic?

[Mickeyrouse]

Originally Posted by rcoleman67

@kayakerchuck - thanks for the reply. Crazing is super bad. Almost a deal breaker. Keel pushed is over the edge so I'm gonna hold on this boat for now.

Smart call. Too many other boats out there.