Before I bought my M-17, I looked at one that had problems very similar
to what you're describing. At least I think so, as I take your
description: it had numerous scallop-shaped cracks on the outside of
the hull, just below (some of) the bolts of the hull-deck joint. At
first I thought it might just be cosmetic cracks in the gelcoat but
then inside I could see evidence of persistent leakage running down the
inside of the hull from the hull-deck joint area.
I decided to keep shopping and although I never saw another with that
much of a problem, I did see numerous boats of the older hull-deck
design (pre-1981) that had sealants/caulks around the hull-deck joint,
so I suppose the leaking was not a totally isolated problem.
Note that in 1981 the hull-deck joint was changed/improved to one with
overlapping flanges. At the same time there were a number of other
changes/improvements - they cast new molds for the boat then, so it was
a good opportunity. Just goes to show that there's always room for
improvement, even in a great boat design like the Montgomery :-)
That being said, I do like the aluminum toe-rails of the older designs
- they're so handy and functional. I do believe that a few of the
newer boats were made with them; perhaps it was an option on the
earlier new-design boats. I think it was actually an expensive and
labor-intensive toe-rail -- but I have a feeling the wooden rail was
more popular with boat-buyers for cosmetic reasons.
In the end it just so happened that I bought 1981 M-17 hull #334, which
was the first of the new-toerail-design boats.
Fatty Knees 7' #302
Former owner, M-17 #334
Former owner, M-15 #517
On Aug 13, 2005, at 11:45 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
The more I think about it, it seems pretty serious to me. Since the
cracking is below the bolts, it would seem to indicate major
structural weakness in the hull, just below the joint. Odd in a
well-built boat. How could this happen?
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