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TheBeachcats.com is seeking catamaran sailing experts.
If you are an enthusiastic catamaran sailor, and you would like to promote your particular catamaran class, TheBeachcats.com would like to help. By acting as a "guest expert" here, you can spread the word about your favorite beachcat and help promote catamaran sailing in general.
If your catamaran sailing group has a newsletter or tip sheet, be sure and add TheBeachcats.com to your distribution list. You can also submit stories about your class or organization using the submissions form. If you know of an expert in a particular class, please let them know about this opportunity.
If your catamaran sailing group has a newsletter or tip sheet, be sure and add TheBeachcats.com to your distribution list. You can also submit stories about your class or organization using the submissions form. If you know of an expert in a particular class, please let them know about this opportunity.
Catamaran Sailboats Delamination Repair Instructions
This article will explain the step-by-step method of repairing soft spots in your beach catamaran hulls. This technique uses the method of injecting thickened epoxy into a catamaran hull using a syringe.
This method is well suited to repairing soft spots in catamaran hulls. The soft spots can be found by pressing carefully with your fingers on the hull. Usually they are on the top or upper side of a hull. When you apply pressure to a soft spot, the area will detent slightly and even give a "squish" sound. The soft area can be a few square inches or entire areas of a hull.
The typical catamaran hull consists of an outer later of gelcoat and an inside layer of fiberglass with a foam layer in the middle. This foam layer is about 3/8" thick. When you feel this soft area from the outside, the foam inside has either deteriorated and has separated from the inside or outside layers. Some times it can even be wet.There are a few ways how these soft spots can develop. One way is to install access ports without sealing the raw edge of the hole with epoxy or silicon before the port is installed. Water in the hull vaporizes and penetrates the foam from the inside. Usually ports are installed to alleviate the build up of moisture in the hulls, but if not done properly it accelerates the same problem you were trying to avoid.
There are reports that 1979 Hobie 16 boats were vulnerable to soft spots because of the inferior foam that was used that year. I don't know if it is true or not, but I owned a 1979 Hobie 16 that had a soft spot problem in front of the forward pylons. This boat also had access ports installed by the previous owner without sealed hole edges.
Ports or no ports, water left in the hull can evaporate and penetrate the inside layer of fiberglass and damage the foam layer. You should silicon all leaks in your hulls, drain them after each sail, and remove the drain plugs prior to storage. If you can garage or cover your boat and open the access ports it would be even better.
Another way that foam is broken down is to step on the top sides of the hull. If you have to step on a hull, do so on the outside edge where it is stronger. Or better yet, crawl on it so that your weight is more distributed.
Poll - Are you a dues paying member of any sailing organization?
I'd like to get an idea of how many visitors to this website are current, dues paying, members of ANY sailing organization. This includes anything from your local club or Hobie Fleet, US Sailing, international organizations, even yacht clubs. You can vote in the poll at the right of this page, or vote here in the sailing organization poll.
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