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Old 01-10-2018, 06:20   #1
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Cored or un-cored hull?

Have suffered some damage to my "new to me" 89 Morgan Catalina 44 CC and if anyone could tell me if these boats were built with a cored hull and if so, what was the coring material,


Thanks


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Old 01-10-2018, 14:06   #2
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Re: Cored or un-cored hull?

What damage you have ?
I don't know if your boat has a cored hull but you might be able to see it from the damage .
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Old 01-10-2018, 14:20   #3
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Re: Cored or un-cored hull?

I do not recall any Catalinas being buillt with cored hulls. However, a simple phone call to the company will get you much more reliable info than anonymous posts on CF.

And FWIW, all the cored hulls that I have seen were easily identified by looking at the inside in the areas near the keel stubby and near the hull to deck joint. The coring stops before the join areas and it is obvious.

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Old 01-10-2018, 14:21   #4
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Re: Cored or un-cored hull?

Not sure, I didn't think Catalina cored their hulls, but that may be the older days, and not Morgan. Often, looking at the inside of the hull, under settees/floorboards etc, you can see the coring as it's glassed to the inside of the hull but stops when it starts to get in the vicinity of the keel/bilge. So there is a step in the glass work where it goes back to thinner solid glass near the keel. (if that makes sense) It will do this if you can see any area that is not covered near the deck joint also, like inside the anchor locker.
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Old 01-10-2018, 15:38   #5
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Re: Cored or un-cored hull?

Thanks guys, the yard tells me it is not corded, will find out next week when they break out the grinders. It looks solid but a bit "white" on the inside. But who puts a rub rail on with 5200?


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Old 01-10-2018, 16:28   #6
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Re: Cored or un-cored hull?

"It looks solid but a bit "white" on the inside."

I wouldn't worry unnecessarily: it could just be talc/resin to smooth the hull out and make it look nice.

Clive
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Old 01-10-2018, 18:14   #7
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Re: Cored or un-cored hull?

I owned a Catalina 42 for 5yrs up until last yr. I seem to remember being a bit shocked to read somewhere that they were cored above the waterline, with all the internal panelling I never detected if that was correct.
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Old 01-10-2018, 18:24   #8
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Re: Cored or un-cored hull?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Amnesia II View Post
I owned a Catalina 42 for 5yrs up until last yr. I seem to remember being a bit shocked to read somewhere that they were cored above the waterline, with all the internal panelling I never detected if that was correct.
Why would you be shocked?
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Old 01-10-2018, 18:45   #9
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Re: Cored or un-cored hull?

"Designers and builders of boats know that cored composite fiberglass structures have better characteristics than solid fiberglass structures. The general boating public does not. We tend to believe that solid fiberglass is stronger and less likely to suffer damage from water saturation, and the latter is true. Virtually every high performance racing sail or powerboat is cored.

The mass production of fiberglass boats began in the 1960s and from the beginning the advantages of coring fiberglass panels were known. Fiberglass panels’ strength comes from the exterior plys and the thickness. Coring is the addition of a different material between two thin layers of fiberglass and the resulting panel is better in almost every way.
Cored vs Solid Fiberglass Structures | Christian & Co. (Marine Surveyors)
Many yachts are only cored (including mine) above the water-line because the keel is necessarily heavily reinforced to take the weight of the ballast.

Personally I wouldn't have a bar of balsa coring: mine is airex foam cored hull and divinycell cored deck. (Neither can absorb water)
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Old 01-10-2018, 18:54   #10
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Re: Cored or un-cored hull?

Cored hulls can be made stiffer and lighter, for less money.
Depending on the boat sometimes it’s more about the money.
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Old 01-10-2018, 18:56   #11
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Re: Cored or un-cored hull?

Sorry to hear about your damages. Not sure about your specific model, but I read that, at least with the Catalina 470, the hull is solid below the waterline, and is cored from about 6" above the waterline and up. Your model may, of course, be different. One of the replies above suggested contacting Catalina, and from what I hear their support is second-to-none, even for older boats.

I know your pain, as I'm dealing with major damage to my Morgan 462, which was t-boned at her dock by a 100ft motor yacht. Sadly, in my case, even though the hull is solid glass, it could not withstand the impact without significant damage to the hull (down to the waterline), deck, cabin-top, and mizzen mast. Hope your insurance company is cooperative - I'm dealing with the other guy's insurance company now, and it's not fun...

-David
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Old 01-10-2018, 19:14   #12
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Re: Cored or un-cored hull?

Many Catalinas were cored with Coremat. Coremat is a thick fibrous material much like a very thick paper towel, I believe it is a type of spun bonded polyester. You can see a few photos here ...

Buying a Hurricane Boat

Scroll down to the photo of the white hull with blue boot stripe. This is a Catalina.
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Old 01-10-2018, 21:18   #13
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Re: Cored or un-cored hull?

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Originally Posted by clockwork orange View Post
Why would you be shocked?

Like Coopec43 below mentioned, I believe a solid fibreglass Hull is stronger....just my opinion!
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Old 01-10-2018, 21:58   #14
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Re: Cored or un-cored hull?

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Originally Posted by Amnesia II View Post
Like Coopec43 below mentioned, I believe a solid fibreglass Hull is stronger....just my opinion!
I think you are confused!! I did not say that because I agree with the Marine Surveyors who say:
"Designers and builders of boats know that cored composite fiberglass structures have better characteristics than solid fiberglass structures
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Old 01-10-2018, 23:42   #15
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Re: Cored or un-cored hull?

Quote:
Originally Posted by coopec43 View Post
I think you are confused!! I did not say that because I agree with the Marine Surveyors who say:
"Designers and builders of boats know that cored composite fiberglass structures have better characteristics than solid fiberglass structures


Quite right, it was in your quoted section that “the general public” along with me thought solid fibreglass was stronger and generally better, an I still feel that way.
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