Gcat 5.7
-
- Rank: Mate
- Registered: May 08, 2013
- Last visit: Oct 02, 2023
- Posts: 508
Posted: Apr 25, 2023 - 08:35 AM
I took a nice 2 inch chunk out of the bottom of my Gcat 5.7 hull when I hit rock. On doing the repair, there was what would call a mold of thicken resin conforming to the bottom inch of the inside of the hull, but it was not adhered to the hull, it was just sitting in the bottom. My question is, was this pour done at the manufacturing process to give strength to the bottom of the hull, and it has overtime just lost all adhesion to the hull? Or should I think a previous owner did it? If its a manufactured thing I am surprised is has come completely unadhered, a little I understand but I was able to pull it out like it was never attached in the first place. If that is the manufactured spec I am guessing I am in some big trouble -
- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Aug 06, 2004
- Last visit: Oct 20, 2024
- Posts: 878
Posted: Apr 25, 2023 - 09:18 AM
What year is the boat? -
- Rank: Mate
- Registered: Jul 29, 2015
- Last visit: Jul 26, 2024
- Posts: 590
Posted: Apr 25, 2023 - 10:34 AM
I'm not familiar with construction specs of the Gcat, but many skeg cats get thin on the bottom, and it would not be surprising to see an owner pour some resin reinforcement into the bottom of the skeg to seal it. As you note it has no structural benefit, and the hull may have been repaired with glass and gel later. A manufacturer would not pour unreinforced resin into a hull. It's expensive, heavy and serves no structural purpose.
--
Tom
NACRA 5.7 (1984 Sail 181)
Pennsylvania
-- -
- Rank: Mate
- Registered: May 10, 2016
- Last visit: Oct 22, 2024
- Posts: 226
Posted: Apr 25, 2023 - 06:17 PM
My G Cat 5.7 did not have anything like you describe in either hull.
Brad in JAX
Stiletto 27 (X2) one for sale but it is not trailerable. -
- Rank: Master Chief
- Registered: Jun 20, 2006
- Last visit: May 22, 2024
- Posts: 7089
Posted: Apr 25, 2023 - 07:25 PM
I doubt it was from the factory but not certain.
Hans contracted out a lot of the construction of g-cats and the quality control was all over the place.
The boats SHOULD have been originally been built with a mold that had gelcoat sprayed in first, then foams, then glass / epoxy (not sure about g-cats but I know that not all boats have foam). Deck lids were a separate mold and attached with some type of marine bondingglueshmutz.
i know Hans and other g-cat owners have used strips of steel on the keels to prevent wear and I would completely believe someone could have thought it was a good idea to add sacrificial epoxy or kevlar or "other" during a bottom job to avoid wear.
Is summary - who knows, and it doesn't really matter. Just do a good repair and get in the pond
