C&C smile

[brmn54]

Let me thank you in advance for any advice I receive. I have a C &C 35 MK III with a center board. When I purchased the boat two years ago it had some small crack around the keel and bottom connection. The cracks have returned and I was wondering what would be the best solution? There seem no to be any drainage from them, when hauled. Some one was suggesting 5200, but I don’t know. Thanks again.

[Tom11669]

What you may be seeing is a modified version of the venerable C&C smile that is typical with full keel C&C's.From what it sounds like, your centerboard trunk, which is a separate component to the hull, is cracking. My recommendation would be to channel the cracks out to get below the surface. See what it looks like. If the cracking is limited to the surface I would then chamfer the edges of the crack, leave it open to dry, and then fill and fair the cracks with West with collodial silica. Fair it smooth while it is still wet so you will not have a ton of sanding to do. Paint and splash.Hope this helps.TomDelphinusC&C 36Norfolk, Va

[Gerry Banford]

I am not a C&C owner however I do own a Catalina and I have a similar "smile on my keel and not having the boat for all that long I am wondering if this is symtomatic of the Catalina fixed keel also. The boat is a '97 vintage and in otherwise great shape.

[brmn54]

Thanks again for all the help!