Reinforcing Hull

[Marv Irwin]

Greetings to the collective,

I just spent a wonderful afternoon with my sailing buddy (Sciroco 15). We were out in a 20 mph wind with 25 mph gusts. He was reefed, I was not (mains only). After you get past the obvious....we probably should have been sitting at the dock with a beverage....this was a great day for learning. I have a lot more confidence in the DS's ability (and my ability) to handle challenging conditions now. After the terror subsided, I realized that with careful attention to sail trim and angle of attack, the DS could deliver an exciting, but controlled sail. As long as the main was trimmed enough to keep the boom from pumping...and the pointing angle was enough off the wind to keep the boat from stalling...I could really get that puppy smokin'. Below are a couple of questions for the grey beards:
1. I've been collecting more and more water on the port side of the cockpit lately. My mid 60's DSI is in great condition, but I've noticed fine crazing on the cockpit floor adjacent to the leading edge of the CB trunk. I assume that when the boat is sailed aggressively, there is enough pressure in the CB housing, that water is being forced into the cockpit. I've crossed the Rubicon and decided that those gorgeous floorboards need to go in favor of some serious reinforcement of the hull and CB trunk/hull union. Does the collective have any suggestions about the best way to tackle this winter project? And...
2. I will never race my DS, but like other some other posters, I too find the DS a little touchy when single handed under challenging conditions. I plan to build a cabin"floor" this winter ahead of the mast. I will glass in a recess for my battery and design a secure mount for my Minn Kota. I will add lots of closed cell flotation under the floor before I install it. Here is my slightly crazy question.....Has anybody poured concrete into the hollow keelson for added weight forward. I know that the drain hole in the side of the keelson is there to drain the forward flotation chamber, but if I glassed over that drain hole and poured concrete into the keelson and the deepest part of the forward flotation chamber would I be doing something dangerous or would I just be adding some more weigh forward that would, of course, slow the boat down....but perhaps make it a little less touchy. (Please forgive this sacrilege....I KNOW....ITS A DINGHY!!)

Best regards,
Marv
Northern Ontario

[Baysailer]

Marv,

It's a pretty full message so I'm sure you'll get a number of responses but I'll give you my opinions and suggestions on a few items. I would not put concrete anywhere in the sailboat- sailboats flex concrete doesn't. Since your from Ontario I'm sure you know what tube sand is. Get yourself a few tubes then when the conditions merit and your solo put a tube along each side of the centerboard trunk. When it's light take it out and your still light. To find the leak source sail without the floorboards and see if you can find where it's comming in. I would think silicone caulk, 3M4200, or a marine epoxy would be the best fixes. I don't think there's any need to bulk it up but check your thwart attachments. Look at the outside of the hull as well as the centerboard pivot to help find the leak source.

Fred B

[algonquin]

I personally believe that you would be far better off to add a couple 50 lb sand bags along the keelson just aft of the mast step. They contour to the hull and keelson and do not move under even the most adverse sailing conditions. Best of all they are removable when needed. Concrete doesn’t have that much weight per unit and as mentioned above does not flex. Pouring concrete into the keelson is permanent and will certainly not be desirable to most buyers when the time comes. Brad

[adam aunins]

When you say that it's "touchy" are you talking about it heeling over? If so do you have any way to reef your sail, be it reef points or rolling the main around the boom. If the wind is up and the boat is a handfull to handle then I would say that you're carrying to much sail and that's more of the problem than anything else. Just my $.02. That and I would vote for the sand tubes also. Play with all of the controls that are built into the boat first before you start making major design changes.

[algonquin]

Play with all of the controls that are built into the boat first before you start making major design changes.

Excellent advice.