creaking and cracking sounds

[fontmell]

Hi is it normal to have creaking and cracking sound when the boat is underway in tough heavy weather. A recent long upwind run revealed clicking coming from a bulhead 'groaning' from some furniture and 'cracking' where the main bulkead is attached to the deck. I suspect all well used boats do it but need some reassurance it is not just mine
thanks your replys

 

[doug748]

No problem. Mine creaks and groans at anchor.

 

[beormakate]

I'm not sure whether this is reassuring as I spend much of my life worrying about our creaks and groans too, but our 25 year old home does much the same. Funnily, when we took off the interior panelling to inspect the hull at one point, much of the cracking stopped, revealing that it was the panels rather than the boat itself that was making the noise.
I guess it's something we just live with - but I share your concerns!

 

[alandee]

Our 5 year old Beneteau makes all sorts of noises when going to weather. It's a lightweight boat with everything flexing and distorting. A stiffer boat ( HR's etc ) don't make half as much noise. When the noises stop you're either in a millpond or you've sunk!

 

[temptress]

Some is normal and then again some is not. You can generaly tell what is not normal as it will not sound 'right'.

I've sailed all sorts of boats in al sorts of weathers and wveryone makes some sort of niose just some more so than others..... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[curve]

Every boat has its own distinctive sound when underway. The trick is to get to know a boat's sound so that you can instantly tell when something has gone wrong.

 

[simonfraser]

yep

 

[johnalison]

Although you're probably right about the noise coming from a bulkhead/furniture, we once had a noise we couldn't trace on our then Sadler 29. On every wave there was a creak around the foot tof the mast. Two weeks later we found the cause; the baby-stay was starting to unravel at its upper end. As a general rule it's probably best to ascertain the cause of any new noise.

 

[[2574]]

I have to report that we have the luxury of silence at sea - no cracking or groans - but I believe that I have paid £££££££ for that pleasure. Whether it is worth it I somehow doubt; but I wouldn't change boat.

rob