What could cause a yacht like this to acquire a hole so big to be unfloatabe?

[Kurtz]

About 2 months ago this live aboard sank on its mooring, calm weather, mud bottom no external dramas, as far as I'm aware no lightening, nothing. Enclosed keel, shaft prop. Nothing exotic about it.

The coast guard (volunteer) skull dragged it to where it is now, Their Honda pumps could not keep up with the incoming water...
This above does not make sense and I'm calling bullshit on what has been reported.

Anyway, i'd pay a buck for it, as is / where is. (not too far away from where Captain Cook carrened the Endeavour a few years ago)

 

[SloopJonB]

Ericson 39?

 

[Marty Gingras]

Water level is pretty low in the pic.

 

[Kurtz]

Ericson 39?

I have no idea what design it is, but even in it;s state She's a beautiful boat

Water level is pretty low in the pic.

Pretty much peak (average) high tide in the pic, it's not totally out of the water at low tide.
Very sheltered spot.

 

[Rantifarian]

Probably a failed through hull

 

[TBW]

Failed through hull. Either accidental or intentional.

 

[Steam Flyer]

One pump could keep up with a failed thru hull, much less two or more.

Unless, as is likely, there was the usual clutter inside the boat that kept clogging the pumps, and the story does not mention that part.

 

[Matagi]

This above does not make sense and I'm calling bullshit on what has been reported.

Anyway, i'd pay a buck for it, as is / where is.

Sounds almost too cliché like the words of a heartless pr*ck

https://www.capeyorkweekly.com.au/latest-news/pensioners-left-homeless-after-yacht-sinks

 

[Marty Gingras]

Pretty much peak (average) high tide in the pic, it's not totally out of the water at low tide.
Very sheltered spot.

I meant w/i the boat. Speaks to the elevation of the leak(s).

 

[Kurtz]

Sounds almost too cliché like the words of a heartless pr*ck

https://www.capeyorkweekly.com.au/latest-news/pensioners-left-homeless-after-yacht-sinks

yeah sorry about that, I do feel for these guys. they're not in a good spot.
Australia is a country where growing old without owning land is not a viable option

 

[sledracr]

Ericson 39?

Could be. Coamings look right, transom looks right, wheel is way-the-fuck-forward in the cockpit...

 

[carcrash]

If you ever read Webb Chiles book about trying to sail his Ericson 37 around the world, or if you remember when the Ericson 46 Chiquita sank, you will know that these boats have a potentially fatal problem: they were laid up in two halves, and then glassed together down the centerline on the inside, a very sharp inside angle along the bottom and aft edge of the keel. Those centerline laminations were prone to failure resulting in a long crack and water coming up all around the ballast. They looked perfect from the inside, but shoddy workmanship was completely hidden from later inspection.

 

[Bump-n-Grind]

its probably got an off center companionway.... that'll get em every time

 

[Kurtz]

If you ever read Webb Chiles book about trying to sail his Ericson 37 around the world, or if you remember when the Ericson 46 Chiquita sank, you will know that these boats have a potentially fatal problem: they were laid up in two halves, and then glassed together down the centerline on the inside, a very sharp inside angle along the bottom and aft edge of the keel. Those centerline laminations were prone to failure resulting in a long crack and water coming up all around the ballast. They looked perfect from the inside, but shoddy workmanship was completely hidden from later inspection.

If that's the case she's a write off, could explain why no salvage attempts have been made in 60+ days

 

[sledracr]

potentially fatal problem: they were laid up in two halves, and then glassed together down the centerline on the inside,

True, but the key word is "potentially". Those examples are the only two failures I'm aware of.

The layup along that seam was ridiculously thick. It'd take a major event (e.g., a very hard grounding, or a drop from a crane) to cause a failure.

 

[kinardly]

Solid glass in the E 46 keel area, almost two inches thick. 39 was probably comparable.

 

[Glenn McCarthy]

I've got a wheel cover on the outside of the back door of my car, a hole on top of it appeared, no rhyme or reason why. Then a week later I noticed a hole in the bottom of the gutter on my house, punched from the top down.

It could have been hail, I don't remember any hail storm recently.

I've pretty much decided on meteorite.

So why a hole in a boat to sink it?

 

[SloopJonB]

If you ever read Webb Chiles book about trying to sail his Ericson 37 around the world, or if you remember when the Ericson 46 Chiquita sank, you will know that these boats have a potentially fatal problem: they were laid up in two halves, and then glassed together down the centerline on the inside, a very sharp inside angle along the bottom and aft edge of the keel. Those centerline laminations were prone to failure resulting in a long crack and water coming up all around the ballast. They looked perfect from the inside, but shoddy workmanship was completely hidden from later inspection.

Same thing happened to a Standfast 40 - gluing two halves together seems a poor way of moulding a hull.

 

[El Borracho]

Probably a failed through hull

A thruhull that fails by completely falling out of the hull would cause a spectacular flood.

 

[floater]

If you ever read Webb Chiles book about trying to sail his Ericson 37 around the world, or if you remember when the Ericson 46 Chiquita sank, you will know that these boats have a potentially fatal problem: they were laid up in two halves, and then glassed together down the centerline on the inside, a very sharp inside angle along the bottom and aft edge of the keel. Those centerline laminations were prone to failure resulting in a long crack and water coming up all around the ballast. They looked perfect from the inside, but shoddy workmanship was completely hidden from later inspection.

the irony - I used to think the 37 (and I'm pretty sure that's just what this is) was the epitome of a solid looking seaworthy boat. but. not. lol.

just like it was revealed elsewhere here that the late 70's Swans were pos.

is nothing sacred?