Creaking Deck - Cabin Sole Shifted?

[Beneteausailor]

So, Below is a video of the ONE section of my deck that squeaks. It was not always like this. I'm planning to have it looked at, but I wanted to see how common this was. This is the first boat I've owned, and I haven't had experience seeing the aging/changes. This area has also started squeaking a lot when I step into the head below the area.

Also, my cabin sole has rather suddenly become far too tight. The boat has not been soaked recently or at any time. The boards used to come up with minimal pull. Now, it is a strain for me to get them up. Putting them down requires some stamping or in a few of their cases a dead blow.

Is this a usual occurrence? Do fiberglass hulls normally change this way over time?

The boat is a 2016 Beneteau Oceanis 38.

https://youtube.com/shorts/Vm4Bpor_--M?feature=share



Thx

[tkeithlu]

The creaking and the tight fit may be one in the same - two surfaces that move against each other with your weight or a bash. I'd look first at where the two are rubbing, which should be pretty obvious when you lift the boards. Then, why? Is it swelling, as from water, or a square framed panel that is no long square? A loose bit of trim wood?

If there are water stains where the panels rub, then yes, what's the source? Otherwise, it may be that a little sanding or tightening screws will solve the problem.

[JPA Cate]

Or, perhaps the liner has come away at the top, and gravity has sucked it down.

Ann

[Tetepare]

Use two people, inside and out, and see if the source of the squeak can be located. As in pinpointed.

In that it extends so far on a horizontal surface I’m guessing it’s not a bulkhead. Guessing the deck is unsupported and flexing against the hull, or internal liner.

[Stewie12]

The hull moves and it may be as simple as that. Perhaps you have added extra weight.

[MV Caroline]

Originally Posted by Beneteausailor

So, Below is a video of the ONE section of my deck that squeaks. It was not always like this. I'm planning to have it looked at, but I wanted to see how common this was. This is the first boat I've owned, and I haven't had experience seeing the aging/changes. This area has also started squeaking a lot when I step into the head below the area.

Also, my cabin sole has rather suddenly become far too tight. The boat has not been soaked recently or at any time. The boards used to come up with minimal pull. Now, it is a strain for me to get them up. Putting them down requires some stamping or in a few of their cases a dead blow.

Is this a usual occurrence? Do fiberglass hulls normally change this way over time?

The boat is a 2016 Beneteau Oceanis 38.

https://youtube.com/shorts/Vm4Bpor_--M?feature=share



Thx

It sounds to me like the boat is flexing now. possibly a bulkhead problem. Beneteau has a proclivity for gluing bulkheads, liners and grids into their boats rather than bonding with fiberglass tabbing. Check bulkhead, floor grid, and liners for signs of movement.

[Clivevon]

To answer your question - No, its not common - at least not on older boats like mine. When I first read your post I thought you must be referring to your saloon floor - but no - it looks like it is your actual side deck which is creaking. How long is the warranty on your boat - if it was me, I would definitely get that looked at - its not right.

Your cabin sole boards are suddenly very tight? You havent been overtightening the rigging or anything, have you?

[Cadence]

If she is on the hard (hill) it could be blocking skewing the hull.

[Manateeman]

It is not something to ignore. Ann gets the gold prize from the manatee crew.
The tight cabin sole hatches and the deck squeaks DO seem to indicate bond failure between the liner and hull. It will take a bit of work and and a lot of time to see if this is the case. Out of the water, just too many pressure points on the hull which are not the normal ways in which water supports the hull. If you overtighten the rigging, you can stress the hull in ways which can damage things.
Take her out for a sail in strong not gusty winds. Anything moving, creaking, what about adding weight on both side decks. More flex anywhere? Anything moved?
I’ve used everything from thin paper artist tape to a laser to see where hulls flex.
Tape a few construction lasers down and aim them at some blue tape with a dot when you start...go sailing and see if the laser moves off the dot.
Hulls do flex...even steel ships. What you are looking for is non symmetrical flex.
You might locate the general area of bond failure easily but it’s difficult to pinpoint. What is moving and why dictates what to do about it.
This could be a symptom of a serious issue or a simple creak that’s merely annoying. You can do a lot of evidence gathering yourself which will help any surveyor. Commenting on possible ways to repair a more serious delamination is unwarranted at this point. Let’s see what’s moving first.
Mark and his manatee crew.

[DefinitelyMe]

We had a similar experience. Next thing we broke our starboard lower shroud..... twice. Once on approach to Raiatea and then while anchored in Niue.

Turned out that our problem was delamination of a cross-beam tying the main bulkheads together just underneath the deck head. Yours is most likely another cause but the principle is the same; I think it's important to figure out the cause.

Take a tape measure and measure from one chainplate to the other across the boat. Now go sailing in a lumpy sea (or even at anchor in a rolly anchorage) and measure again. Pay particular attention to the position of the mast relative to the shrouds that are most loaded. Also take a look at shroud tensions while under sail, going up-wind on a moderate day under full sail. How do the lee shrouds feel? Are they tight at rest but flapping around under sail? These things will give you an indication of whether you have excessive flex in the hull.

[BillKny]

Do well made modern boats "creak"?

NO.

Our boat is 25 years old. It is silent. Even beating into open ocean waves, there is not a sound from the hull. No creaks or groans. Not a peep.

Noises from a hull moving through the water or (even worse) from people walking around on deck mean things are moving that SHOULD NOT MOVE. Hearing such noises should always be a red flag.

On my old boat a change in the noise of the hull when sailing alerted me to the bulkhaed that had come lose from its tabbing. Noise should never be ignored.

The problem with so many boats coming out of the mass production yards today is that they are put together so poorly they move from day one. Creaks, groans and moans are considered "normal" so it is really hard to identify when there is a new noise that clues the owner in to something gone wrong.

[JPA Cate]

Noises from a hull moving through the water or (even worse) from people walking around on deck mean things are moving that SHOULD NOT MOVE. Hearing such noises should always be a red flag.

Just have to say I agree with this. Our first Insatiable had a "gronk" sailing hard downwind. When we finally found the source of it, the repair involved fiberglassing in two stringers and placing two floors. Lots of work and fiberglassing. Never "gronked" again.

Ann

[Beneteausailor]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

The creaking and the tight fit may be one in the same - two surfaces that move against each other with your weight or a bash. I'd look first at where the two are rubbing, which should be pretty obvious when you lift the boards. Then, why? Is it swelling, as from water, or a square framed panel that is no long square? A loose bit of trim wood?

If there are water stains where the panels rub, then yes, what's the source? Otherwise, it may be that a little sanding or tightening screws will solve the problem.

It is rubbing in a lot of places. I'm not able to easily detect a single point along the edge that has shifted. The fasteners on the permanent boards do not seem to have been bent or moved. I'm going to try to get my inspection scope behind the boards to see if I can detect inward (toward the removable sole) movement. A fair bit of the joinery in the boat is a bit tight. There are a couple of squeaks at time that obviously come from rather tight, and non bonded, joints.

The interior has always been very dry. The only time I have ever had to run the bilge is when I've sprayed some water on the fiberglass to clean it. There are no water marks on the boards, and although the boards have become wet from cleaning they have never been soaked.

Re-dimensioning the boards is not at all hard for me as I have a strong woodworking background and more than enough handplanes. I just wanted to run this by people before taking any action. "Measure twice cut once" lol

Thanks,
Adam

[Beneteausailor]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Use two people, inside and out, and see if the source of the squeak can be located. As in pinpointed.

In that it extends so far on a horizontal surface I’m guessing it’s not a bulkhead. Guessing the deck is unsupported and flexing against the hull, or internal liner.

That's in the works. I should have my inspection camera later today or tomorrow. The plan is to get that in between the equipment, the blackwater tank and head cabinetry in this case) and the deck. The head cabinetry has become a little squeak prone, but I'm not exactly feeling about disassembling the whole thing to fix it.

From sticking my hand into the gap, none of the cabinetry comes into direct contact wtih the deck.

[Beneteausailor]

Originally Posted by Stewie12

The hull moves and it may be as simple as that. Perhaps you have added extra weight.

I wondered about that, but I'm not used to what is within standard tolerances on a production boat. As far as weight is concerned, the amount of weight in the boat has been pretty consistent and since I took possession of the boat.