Does your boat creak?

[barnakiel]

All the boats I have sailed on make some sort of creaking sounds. AC was probably worst in this respect.

Our own boat makes them too: e.g. when sailing downwind in large following seas.

b.

[Randyonr3]

I hate noise, had a cricket in the stairs while under motor, a little baby powder around the area and all was good.

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by Neo

Our boat creaks like a haunted house, Pearson 31-2, 1987. The cored decks are particularly noisy when you're below and someone is walking on deck.

Is this a sign of delamination? We will be cutting the deck open later this week.

Could it also be a sign that the rig needs to be tuned?

Neo, the Pearson 31-2,33-2,34-2, and 36-2 did not tab in the top of the cabinets to the deck. I had similar sounds when walking on port and I tabbed in the cabinets and it has been quiet ever since. Before you do anything drastic, I would suggest you get a good marine surveyor to look at these issues. You may not have a problem at all and you will save yourself a lot of grief and aggravation. Good luck and good sailing.

[Sandero]

Shiva makes no creaking noises in any seas I've sailed her in and that include full gales... But then again gales are noisy and perhaps I could hear? Under all other conditions the hull, sole and buckheads make no noise... all being tabbed to the hull... which is balsa cored GRP.

[sandy stone]

My current boat, a Beneteau First 375, creaks quite a bit, which I attribute to the furniture mostly being built into the interior liner. I have plenty of faith in the overall structural inregrity of the boat. My previous boat, a Pearson 32, was much more quiet, I think because the furniture was bonded directly to the hull.

[SailPenelope]

Penelope creaks in a blow.....especially at night.......and especially if it's a blow at night.

Scared me the first night on a mooring........

We, too, have all those little scraps of paper...........

[Mike OReilly]

No creaking on our Rafiki ... at least I've never heard any so far.

[robert sailor]

I've sailed on a lot of boats in heavy seas and everyone of them made some noise. The worst was a C&C 36 I sailed to Mexico/Hawaii/Vancouver my first offshore trip and that boat made so damn much noise that you'd think it was coming apart. An old Tartan 44 (S&S design)was the quietest and it we put a lot of miles on it, really well built boat.

[Neo]

Originally Posted by rognvald

Neo, the Pearson 31-2,33-2,34-2, and 36-2 did not tab in the top of the cabinets to the deck. I had similar sounds when walking on port and I tabbed in the cabinets and it has been quiet ever since. Before you do anything drastic, I would suggest you get a good marine surveyor to look at these issues. You may not have a problem at all and you will save yourself a lot of grief and aggravation. Good luck and good sailing.

Thanks for the heads up on the cabinets, rognvald. We're only peeling back a small section of the deck that we know has moisture, and then following the trial from there. I hope its a short trail.

[OnTour]

Just purchased a Island Packet and was sailing it back home and was in some pretty nasty weather and didn't hear any creaking....thought it was strange to just be hearing the water and waves under the hull.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by atoll

i've never been on a boat that doesn't "Talk" to those onboard in some way or another!

The bearings in my jib sheet fairleads creak when I'm close hauled. They're Harkens, for goodness sake, but down below it sounds as if the cookie monster is gnawing through the deck.

No problems on a close reach.

[Ocean Girl]

Originally Posted by OnTour

Just purchased a Island Packet and was sailing it back home and was in some pretty nasty weather and didn't hear any creaking....thought it was strange to just be hearing the water and waves under the hull.

Yeah, that would get me thinking too , IP are tanks, i sailed a 27 across the gulf and she had just a little creak at her main bulkhead.
.Rain Dog creaks a bit but my CD30( Ocean Girl) creaked more, it was mainly in her cabin sole, I loved it. But I guess there is a good creak and a bad creak.
OP- hope your boat project is quick and easy!
Erika

[cheoah]

yup..

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by welljim

Does your boat creak when:
- you walk in the cabin while at anchor?
- you are in the cabin underway in moderate weather?
- you are in the cabin beating upwind in a blow / high seas / offshore / other?,
- what kind of boat is it (year model)?

Thanks

I don't own a sail boat right now but the boat I'm sailing most,
-no
-no
-just the sheets and occasional big wave pounding
-Swan 65 hull no 002 -75

[Celestialsailor]

Well this is an interesting thread. I was going to start my own soon as I have a strange phenomena at rest in the slip. I have a heater going most of the time during the winter. It's not a great heater, meaning it will shut off at 75 and turn on at 65. At night I turn it down as I sleep between 2 sleeping bags currently.
Well...there is an expansion/contraction thing going on where when it is cooling down, either the fiberglass or wood trim is moving at a different rate than the other. This produces a sudden sound like a small stick being broken over your knee. At first, it was quite alarming. I think I have even heard the toe rail snap in the middle of the night, also. It's no quiet sound. On occasion it will cause you to jump awake. These Hallbergs are dripping with wood. I was thinking of loosening some fasteners to allow gentler expansion and attraction. Anyone else experience this?