Compression post / deck Red Flag? (83' Hunter 36)

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Cadence

A little water intrusion and a sag?

A lot of water intrusion and that balsa has turned to compost mud. Notice the steel plate spanning the deck head crack fastened with 4 screws ! Obscene stupidity ! What else has the idiot owner done to that boat ?
It will cost more to fix this than the boat is worth. With the schedules of marine glass techs right now I bet it would take a year to get fixed.

[C420sailor]

Oh whoa. I thought that was a wood access panel at first glance.

Run, don’t walk.

[Apollo366]

RUN like Lion's chasing you!!

Please keep us informed of your next Find of a boat you just can't resist, we'd love to give you more opinions and other info.

Apollo Wayne

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

A lot of water intrusion and that balsa has turned to compost mud. Notice the steel plate spanning the deck head crack fastened with 4 screws ! Obscene stupidity ! What else has the idiot owner done to that boat ?
It will cost more to fix this than the boat is worth. With the schedules of marine glass techs right now I bet it would take a year to get fixed.

I went back and looked. That looks like a dumb attempt as a solution.

[Pegu Club]

FWIW, free would be to much money for a sailboat in that condition, this boat is a hard pass, just walk away, there are lots of other boats that won’t cost you far to many thousands of dollars to fix just one issue, and likely won’t really ever be right afterwards. That and it’s going to need lots of other work and parts on top of that mess just to get it up to snuff as it were, if the boat your looking at doesn’t even have a sound hull and Deck, you gotta ask yourself some serious questions as to why this would be a good idea to pursue.

Fair winds,

[C420sailor]

Not only that, but if a steel plate and wood screws is a ‘repair’, what other things did they try to fix?

[Tillsbury]

That's nothing to do with "sag". To make that crack clean across the structural bulkhead took some serious force even if it were underbuilt at the time. Any cracks that size in fibreglass means you are looking at a "project boat" at the very best.

[jim King]

I bought an 85 Hunter 34 about 20 years ago with exactly the same problem. We got a quote to replace the compression post for $6,000. We did it ourselves for $500. The biggest cost removing the mast. After that we removed the 1 x 4" surrounds on the compression post. When we got a look at the compression post we about fainted. It was rotted through at the base so much we could push our finger through. We bought a 4x4 piece of pressure treat pine to replace it. You could also use a 4" diameter stainless post. We then used a jack to push up the deck to where it should be and cut the new compression post to size and slipped it in.
The reason the original compression post rotted was water intrusion at the mast boot. When you replace the mast be sure there is plenty of waterproofing to prevent any new intrusion.
I can send you more pictures of the whole project if you'd like. Hunters of you (and my vintage) have had exactly the problem you pictured. It really doesn't have to cost more than $1,000 to repair if you take it on yourself. It also shouldn't take more than a day or two.
cheers,
Jim

[Searles]

Yes it is fixable,is it viable probably not ,cost maybe more than a much better boat,ditch it .⛵️⚓️

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

A lot of water intrusion and that balsa has turned to compost mud. Notice the steel plate spanning the deck head crack fastened with 4 screws ! Obscene stupidity ! What else has the idiot owner done to that boat ?
It will cost more to fix this than the boat is worth. With the schedules of marine glass techs right now I bet it would take a year to get fixed.

Unless you like spending a lot of Time and money, in the boatyard.
There's lots of other boats out there.
I'd pass on it.
It probably has many other issues.
SV Cloud Duster

[Drumroll30]

Originally Posted by jim King

I bought an 85 Hunter 34 about 20 years ago with exactly the same problem. We got a quote to replace the compression post for $6,000. We did it ourselves for $500. The biggest cost removing the mast. After that we removed the 1 x 4" surrounds on the compression post. When we got a look at the compression post we about fainted. It was rotted through at the base so much we could push our finger through. We bought a 4x4 piece of pressure treat pine to replace it. You could also use a 4" diameter stainless post. We then used a jack to push up the deck to where it should be and cut the new compression post to size and slipped it in.
The reason the original compression post rotted was water intrusion at the mast boot. When you replace the mast be sure there is plenty of waterproofing to prevent any new intrusion.
I can send you more pictures of the whole project if you'd like. Hunters of you (and my vintage) have had exactly the problem you pictured. It really doesn't have to cost more than $1,000 to repair if you take it on yourself. It also shouldn't take more than a day or two.
cheers,
Jim

I did this same repair on a friend's 34 about 14 years ago. It was a fairly easy fix and its still holding up fine.

[Manateeman]

I do not agree it is a simple fix and this is based on 50+ years of boatbuilding.
The real question is why fix it or even pay for a survey.
A lot has been published on Hunters of this vintage. Just looking at images, you will see a lot on deck core issues and cracks in STRUCTURAL members.
Often, what appears to be a minimal issue turns into a major rebuild. If it were your vessel and a crack opened up, you have little choice, but you are fortunately not the owner who perhaps feels comfortable with it as is.
Lot of fish in the sea. I would pass on this project.
Happy trails to you.
Captain Mark and his manatee crew of professional boatbuilders.
Funny looking...but also competent in gourmet pizza and craft beer consumption.

[Cheechako]

Definitely not good, but maybe not a game changer either. Is that a hollow liner on the ceiling and they didnt fill the gap? Is any cave-in noticeable on deck? maybe it just needs the post removed and the gap filled or more reinforcement. In theory you want a continuous line of support from the mast base to the post base (and under the post in the bilge!) It ain't brain surgery to do if that's the only fault in the boat.

[boatpoker]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Definitely not good, but maybe not a game changer either. Is that a hollow liner and they didnt fill the gap? Is any cave in noticeable on deck? maybe it just needs the post removed and the gap filled or more reinforcement. In theory you want a continuous line of support from the mast base to the post base (and under the post in the bilge!) I tain't brain surgery to do if that's the only fault in the boat.

Thats a structural deckhead beam integral to the liner ... the one in the second photo with the crude, screwed in metal plate patch over the giant crack. It will cost more to fix this boat than it's worth.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Thats a structural deckhead beam integral to the liner ... the one in the second photo with the crude, screwed in metal plate patch over the giant crack. It will cost more to fix this boat than it's worth.

Cut a nice rectangle out of it. Put the new post on the deck underside as it should be. At least viewing from afar...