Hull Question..

M

Mick

New Member
In classified ads...why is it that everyone is determined to convince you that their hull is dry?

I'm not a goof, I understand why this information is important, but it makes me curious if leaky hulls are a way of life with Lasers...

Is it a flaw in the construction or just due to the abuse they take?

Mick
 
I see nobody is taking this question... Here's my two cents worth:

Yes, leaky hulls are a way of life with Lasers.

The automatic bailer is attached to the hull cavity with just one screw, waterproofed with some sealent. It starts leaking unless you take it off and replace the gook every once in a while. You definitely break the seal every time you slide the hull off or onto any surface with the bailer door forgotten in the open position.

The mast step develops cracks and starts leaking if you turtle the boat and stick the mast tip in the mud... or if you don't have a tight mast retaining line and the mast slips out of its step a few inches when you try to right a capsized hull.

The lower gudgeon takes repeated and large loads every time you come back from sailing and tilt the hull up on its transom to make sure you don't have any water in the hull - unless you seriosuly pad the gudgeon before lifting. Then the hull starts leaking from the gudgeon screw holes.

Catch 22: If you don't check for and empty any water in the hull, that water finds its way into the cored cocpit sole and decks when you store the hull upside down, and results in serious structural damage over time: delamination and then more cracks for water to find itself into the hull.

If you cut an inspection port, the inspection port starts leaking either due to poor installation or abuse while racing.

The cockpit bailer bushing also starts leaking on older hulls.

So, it's a little of design flaws and a lot of abuse (and neglect) you subject the boat to.

Shevy
 
I'm almost sorry I asked...(not really)

It's really not that big of a deal to me and it definitely won't stop me from buying one, I just want to get as much information about them as I can before I buy.

Beyond the obvious cracks, are there any other particular things I should lookfor (good or bad) on a Laser before purchasing?

Any tell-tale signs of abuse I can look for?

Mick
 
I think that not only is a leaky hull a way of life with lasers, but actually a way of life with all sailboat hulls.
 
Out of the three race boats that I have the laser is the leakiest. The cape cod frosty has no autobailer and the daggerboard trunk is tight. Also no enclosed spaces so no chance of trapped water. My J-24 has no openings below water level, the sink drain which was the only below waterline through hull was glassed over. I find it amazing that the 24 has much less water problems than any of my lasers. Go figure.
 
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