Pearson 33 with pressure dents from jack stands

[rdbeales]

1970 Pearson 33 Boat For Sale

I'm looking a this 1970 Pearson. Seems like its right up my alley. However, one of the jack stands has clearly pressed in the starboard bow. Its a big soft dent. No cracking of paint or gelcoat that seems to be related. Anyway, I was told that hulls will rebound from this kind of deformation once re-floated. Any truth to that? How serious is this kind of thing? I have no way of easily looking at the stringer locations and condition and such because of the fiberglass insert interior so I figured I'd ask here first.

Please give me reasons for your opinion, not just don't worry, or no way.
Thanks for your time.
Dave

[gonesail]

i would take a very close look at it from the inside. hulls should not be flexible IMHO.

[rdbeales]

Sounds like its only bad. What is IMHO?

[gonesail]

IMHO means i am expressing my opinion on a debatable subject. a flexible hull is more than just bad. not being able to look at it because of a fiberglass interior is making it worse. but you don't have to take my word for it ... get a survey.

[sic: IMHO = In My Honest Opinion]

[ssullivan]

These things happen. I have seen many boats (including my own) where someone at a yard tightened a jackstand too much or used to few of them and "oil canned" in part of the hull. This used to happen once in a while at a yard I used with my old O'day 302. I would loosen the jackstand back and the dent would come right out on land - or other times would come right out when refloated, just like someone has told you.

But, if you're looking to buy it, you need to examine every clue.

Do as said above and inspect the hull in that area from the inside. Make sure there is no damage or anything funny going on with the stringers/various hull support points at that spot inside.

[Oceansandmts]

What he said. Jackstands should be located at a bulkhead so this doesn't happen, but it is not uncommon for a pad to push the hull in a little. The "dent" will usually come back out when the pressure is relieved, but even if it doesn't I wouldn't figure the boat was no good for one "dent" as long as there are no cracks. As long is the cosmetics don't bother you it could be used as an excuse to make an even lower offer.

[rtbates]

I always was taught that there should not be much pressure on the jackstands EVER. The vessel weight should be 100% carried through the keel with the jack stands doing nothing but preventing the vessel from tipping over....Now if your vessel can not carry all of it's weight through keel??? Why are your boats carrying so much weight through the jackstands?? Yards that don't have a clue?? Surely not!!

[ssullivan]

Originally Posted by rtbates

I always was taught that there should not be much pressure on the jackstands EVER. The vessel weight should be 100% carried through the keel with the jack stands doing nothing but preventing the vessel from tipping over....Now if your vessel can not carry all of it's weight through keel??? Why are your boats carrying so much weight through the jackstands?? Yards that don't have a clue?? Surely not!!

That's exaclty right, Randy. Right on the money.

I try not to let any yard worker within 50 feet of my boat at any time! ha ha

You'd be amazed at the things they screw up.

One thing that really puzzled me about the boat I have now is that they had the refrigerator installed by a reputable outfit in Ft Lauderdale. This "outfit" hooked up the seawater pump to the wrong compressor fan control so that it would start and stop every minute or so. They also put the sea strainer in backwards. I have the reciept for the work, so I know they did it, not the PO.

I say... don't trust anyone to do work on your boat (except maybe a diesel mechanic).

[imagine2frolic]

The ground could be settling under the weight of the boat. That could redistribute weight to the stands

[Hope Light]

It is not uncommon to see some oil canning when the adjustment isnt just right between pads and keel support. Check it out but don't be overly concerned. It has happened with my boat a Cabot 36 made of Airex cored glass and one of the toughest fg hulls out there. If any thru hulls are in the area of distortion, give them an extra look and make sure they are secure.

[rebelreck]

My san juan had a pressure dent from a roller on the trailer. As soon as I moved the roller it started to come out. Took about 2 days to fully smooth out.

[hamburking]

I have a 1974 Pearson 30. Over this winter, a big dent has developed on the starboard side, about a foot below the rub rail, right where the upper stay meets the hull. The boat is on the hard in a 6 pad cradle.

I immediately slacked off the tension on the upper stays, and the lowers too.

The dent popped back out a bit, but there is still a sizable and noticable dent in the hull.

There is no damage to the gelcoat, paint, interior, deck or anything else, just a big dent.

How bad is this?

How do I fix this?

Please help!

[rognvald]

If the hull is solid glass and the pad was overtightened at haulout, it should pop out once the pressure is relieved, especially in the water. However, if your hull is cored, you want to be certain that the distortion has not caused the sandwich construction to delaminate. This can be accomplished with a sounding on the hull with the end of a large screwdriver and listening for a dull vs. a sharp sound. As others have mentioned, you should check the inside of the hull for any problems and it will also tell you if it is solid glass or cored. This shouldn't be a problem related to overtightening your shrouds/stays but I wouldn't leave them too slack so that the mast pumps on land which could cause real damage. Retighten your shrouds to a proper tension and explore further. It probably isn't a big problem. Good luck and good sailing.

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by rognvald

If the hull is solid glass and the pad was overtightened at haulout, it should pop out once the pressure is relieved, especially in the water. However, if your hull is cored, you want to be certain that the distortion has not caused the sandwich construction to delaminate. This can be accomplished with a sounding on the hull with the end of a large screwdriver and listening for a dull vs. a sharp sound. As others have mentioned, you should check the inside of the hull for any problems and it will also tell you if it is solid glass or cored. This shouldn't be a problem related to overtightening your shrouds/stays but I wouldn't leave them too slack so that the mast pumps on land which could cause real damage. Retighten your shrouds to a proper tension and explore further. It probably isn't a big problem. Good luck and good sailing.

Thank you for the info.

The dent is just below the rub rail, high up on the hull, about one foot below where the upper shroud attaches to the deck. Not anywhere near a pad.

I've checked from the interior, and there is nothing out of the ordinary...everything looks good in the inside.

I really hope you are right, and that it will pop back out at some point. I'm going to take a toilet plunger down and see if I can't help it along. Aside from being dented, the hull seems fine in that area. When I tap it, I get a good solid return sound. Since its a 1974, pretty sure its solid glass, not cored.

I'll try to get pictures too.

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by hamburking

Thank you for the info.

The dent is just below the rub rail, high up on the hull, about one foot below where the upper shroud attaches to the deck. Not anywhere near a pad.

I've checked from the interior, and there is nothing out of the ordinary...everything looks good in the inside.

I really hope you are right, and that it will pop back out at some point. I'm going to take a toilet plunger down and see if I can't help it along. Aside from being dented, the hull seems fine in that area. When I tap it, I get a good solid return sound. Since its a 1974, pretty sure its solid glass, not cored.

I'll try to get pictures too.

Hamburgking,
I've never heard of a dent that high in the hull unless it was aluminum or steel. My guess is that it occured from some point loaded stress against the hull (impact) when the hull was quite hot allowing the deformity. If the hull is lightly built, it could be possible. Is the chainplate attached to the deck or the side of the hull? Pictures would help. A thought would be to be certain the rigging is properly tuned and not overtightened and then on a warm day use a heat gun to warm the area from the inside of the hull on the indentation and around it (it should NOT be burned or too hot!) and try pushing the dent outward with the end of a 2x4 and see if it pops. Don't use any impact since it could crack the gelcoat but rather a slow, forceful, steady push against the warmed fiberglass. Let's see some pix.