Cored or fiberglass Hull

[ceaworm]

How does one determine if the hull is cored or solid fiberglass? I have a 1979 CHB Europa Sedan. I have searched the net with little successes. Thanks

 

[maggiecat1003]

Thanks I just had the identical question as related to our 1982 Sea Ray 355.

 

[garbler]

Easiest for guys is to find an area of the hull interior with no ceiling or panels like the lazarette or fore peak. Look up to the deck attachment area and if the hull skin is cored you’ll easily see the additional thickness of the skin where the core starts below the deck flange solid glass.

Rick

 

[Fish53]

Depends a bit on what's used for the core material, balsa is fairly easy to identify simply by tapping with a screwdriver handle or such. Also you can frequently see the core through the lay up on the inside of the hull where it isn't painted.

 

[Comodave]

The hull may be cored above the waterline or the entire hull may be cored. I don’t think CHB did coring below the waterline. A lot of the bigger Sea Rays did have core below the waterline. Powerboat Guide sometimes tells whether or not they are cored below the waterline.

 

[Comodave]

Powerboat Guide shows a CHB 42 Sundeck built from 1984-89 with a solid fiberglass hull. That is as close as it shows.

 

[Comodave]

Powerboat Guide shows a Sea Ray 355T Sedan built from 1982-1983 with a solid fiberglass hull.

 

[koliver]

How does one determine if the hull is cored or solid fiberglass? I have a 1979 CHB Europa Sedan. I have searched the net with little successes. Thanks

Try looking up from inside the anchor locker (if fitted). You should be able to see lots of details about the construction of your vessel.

 

[maggiecat1003]

Thanks to all for advice on how to identify.

Comodave thanks. That is our model so I appreciate the specifics.

Can you have a hull that is full glass and the upper decks cored? I think so, so will look and see what I can identify underneath where I can look!

Appreciate the advice. I am curious more because we don't generally experience any soft spots on our front deck and I am looking at the possibility of covering the deck with Awlgrip so I come up with questions related. That is another topic I have to research further as well.

Thanks for input and advice.

 

[DDW]

The deck of almost any fiberglass boat is likely to be cored. Looking up at it will confirm this. The hull may be cored or cored above the waterline. If you have strong sunlight on the side, often looking at the inside skin you will see the sunlight glow - even through dark gelcoat and pretty thick fiberglass. You will not see it in a cored laminate.

 

[Comodave]

Very few fiberglass boats don’t have cored decks. It is stronger and weighs less and that is why they core them. Wet core in decks is way easier and cheaper to repair than wet core in the hull. I use a phenolic hammer to tap out the decks for wet core. It is a small plastic hammer that doesn’t damage the finish. A good core will have a sharp sound and a wet core will more of a dull thud sound. A little bit of tapping and you will understand which is which. The wet core usually comes from old worn out bedding under fittings on the deck. So check around the fittings first.

 

[ceaworm]

Cored or fiberglass hulls

Thanks every one for their input. Its been very help full
Cheers