Colvic Victor 40/41 hull ?

[TQA]

Can anyone tell me if they were solid glass or is there any coring present.

If there is a core is it balsa or foam and how far down does it go?

 

[boatmike]

Most Colvic huls are fairly heavily laid up and solid rather than cored but I could not swear to it. If there is foam or balsa in the hull I would not think it extends below the waterline.

 

[TQA]

Had a look at it today.

Seems to be solid glass but there is something odd about the rudder skeg, it has been damaged at the bottom where the lower rudder bearing is fitted. The damage exposes some timber core. The wood did not seem rotten so if I go ahead I think I will just epoxy fill and fair. There is about 1 square inch of missing glass.

 

[saxonpirate]

I'd go with boatmike there. I've fitted out four Colvic Hulls over the years, a Liberator35, UFO 34 and two Countess's. These were all solid grp layup, with balsa multi-core used to stiffen the deckhead and side-decks. Can't quite figure out where you've found the timber. If it's where the skeg moulds into the hull, the chances are someone may have chosen to fill the void inside the hull with timber instead of solid grp. I suppose because the majority of Colvic hulls were home completed, various finishing/construction methods were used...

 

[TQA]

Here is a pic of the problem area.

 

[saxonpirate]

I've blown that pic up and I'd say it's almost certain you've got a laminated/ply skeg there TQA. I've got hunch that Colvic used to sub some work out like rudders and skegs. If you look inside the boat in that area there's a chance you might find a couple of stainless fixings. These were basically lengths of stainless threaded bar that tied in the heel fitting and ran the length of the skeg and into the hull where they were held in place by large washers and nuts. The void may of coarse have been filled with GRP and the lot bonded over. If you are thinking of buying this boat I'd get someone to put a moisture meter on the skeg, just in case it's sodden under the laminate.

 

[Caer Urfa]

Had a look at it today.

Seems to be solid glass but there is something odd about the rudder skeg, it has been damaged at the bottom where the lower rudder bearing is fitted. The damage exposes some timber core. The wood did not seem rotten so if I go ahead I think I will just epoxy fill and fair. There is about 1 square inch of missing glass.

Not sure if I can help you or not, but during my research for my History of the Colvic Watson Motorsailer for the Colvic Watson Motorsailer Group I spent quite some time on the Colvic Plc side.
Almost all Colvics were solid Glass throughout and as others have said Colvic just sold some hulls for DIY or other professional finishing which also included the rudder.
Also like my own many rudders have been changed/improved over the boats life for various reasons.
If you do decide to redo the whole rudder the shape is important, I built up my own from Stainless steel with a sandwich of bonded marine ply then layered with GRP matting to get the final shape, my reason was to improve steering.
Good luck
Mike
Archivist for the Colvic Watson owners group

 

[TQA]

The long stainless steel studs/bolts sound good.

It is a short skeg with a longer rudder and everything seems pretty solid and sounds solid when tapped.

However like you say it could be pretty soggy in there.