If you have something similar, please send a short paragraph to me and I'll post it here(with attribution of course!). Anything I have written here is how it appears on MY boat (hull #30). Yours maybe different.
The toetail was then added, and holes drilled through the fiberglass and gasket for 1/4" through bolts. Tightening the bolts squeezes the rubber gasket around the shaft of the bolt, making a good seal. This is a good strong system, I have not heard of anyone with serious leaks or structural problems at this joint. I haven't had any troubles myself, except....
I traced a troublesome leak to the chock on the starboard quarter. The chock was designed to sit flush on the deck and bolt though the hull flange and gasket, just like the toerail. The problem is that the deck and hull did not match up quite right here. The deck did not fully cover the flange of the hull. The bolts did not go through the deck at all, only through the hull. This meant that the rubber gasket was not compressed around the bolts, and the strength of the attachment was compromised because the thickness of the glass bolted into was much less than designed. A good thickness of silicone bedding compound properly installed fixed the leak and an added stainless steel backing plate reinforced the attachment.
I learned the truth as part of a major refit where I pulled up all of the cabin sole. The tanks are fiberglass. The vertical parts of the tank facing forward and aft do have aluminum plates as part of the structure. However, the tops, bottoms and all interior surfaces are fiberglass.
I do have picture of the cabin with the sole torn up, and detailed measurements of what I found under there. Please email me if you have a use for them.
| Hull Photos | Sailing Photos | Interior Photos | Specifications | Crew Info |