Transporting a Boat from UK to Canaries ?

[STILL AFLOAT]

Well, it finally paid off !
I found a boat shipping company, who could move the boat, to the canaries, for 9500 GBP.
With 2 x 160 HP Yanmars, burning lots of fuel, for the trip, then add to that, marina stayovers due to bad weather etc,
I thought that was cheaper, than me motoring, all the way.

Ok I tried contacting the Rhine people, for routes by the barge carriers Rhine Forrest & Rhine Maiden, but they didnt go that way. They have arms sticking out the stern and their own travellift, so they can load barges from europe, and deliver them to the gulf of mexico, etc.
If they had been able to drop my Broom, outside the port, I coud have saved the 3000 euros import tax, by arriving under own steam.
However, I ended up in a cradle and got offloaded into spanish customs bonded area.
Once the 3000 euros was paid, a crane put me in the water and off we went.
A nice palatial live aboard, in the sun !
Ok, one thing I did not know, prior to purchase !
I thought the hull & deck, was fibreglass ! However, on doing some work, I found out that the deck is some sort of balsa cored stuff with what looks like a thin layer of fibreglass over the top.
I have no idea , how sturdy that is ? Having sailed a lot, Im used to big waves, dumping on deck, which makes me wonder, would a breaking wave ( In normal inter island travel with reasonably calm conditions ) actually smash the balsa core stuff ?
I was prepared to cover the large saloon windows, with plywood sheet stormboards, but never thought about the integrity of the deck, until I discovered it is thin fibreglass with balsa core ?
Cheers
SA

 

[scruff]

Just to check, am I understanding this correctly?

You asked your friend with experience with these things about taking a boat to the Canaries and he told you it was not suitable.

You posted here about taking the boat out and several posters stated the boat would not be suitable.

You paid circa £12k to ship the boat out to the Canaries regardless.

Now you are questioning whether the boat is suitable for the conditions you want to sail in?

 

[STILL AFLOAT]

No, I was merely asking about the strength of a balsa core deck, as opposed to a solid fibreglass deck !
There is no question, that the boat , is a fantastic retirement home, in the sun !

 

[maby]

No, I was merely asking about the strength of a balsa core deck, as opposed to a solid fibreglass deck !
There is no question, that the boat , is a fantastic retirement home, in the sun !

Balsa coring is fine - until the GRP skin leaks - then the core turns to soup. We have just replaced a five year old boat which suffered exactly that failure - fortunately we discovered it a couple of months before the warranty ran out and the manufacturers fixed it at no cost to us. But it put us off and we sold it immediately it was returned.

If you have a balsa cored deck, keep a close eye on it and rectify any breaches to the GRP very promptly. Tap it lightly with a small mallet, looking for areas that sound hollow, or dead. I hate them, but unfortunately there are few modern boats that don't have them.

 

[Tranona]

No, I was merely asking about the strength of a balsa core deck, as opposed to a solid fibreglass deck !
There is no question, that the boat , is a fantastic retirement home, in the sun !

Balsa cored decks are very common. They are used because they lead to significant reductions in weight and increase in stiffness. They are constructed by laying up the outer layer in the mould then setting the core in resin, then laying up the inner shell. If done properly (and most are) they are trouble free. the areas of high stress or where fittings are attached are usually either solid or have reinforcing pads built into the laminate.

Strength wise you should have no concerns, but as suggested in the unlikely event of the outer getting damaged or unsealed holes being made through the core, water can get in and damage the core.

Doubt you will find many boats of the type you have that do not have cored decks, either balsa or foam so it is nothing remarkable. Indeed foam cored hull mouldings are also common, again for weight and stiffness reasons.

 

[STILL AFLOAT]

Thanks for the explanations.
At least, here in the sun, all I have to do, is cover the hull with a tarp, then slowly work my way around the balsa core, and glass & bolt in SS L profiles, then cover the lot with new ply and fibreglass. I am retired, got time, no worries.
Ill still end up with a palatial home in the sun, for a fraction of the cost of a Hardy.
Cheers
Still Afloat

 

[Tranona]

Thanks for the explanations.
At least, here in the sun, all I have to do, is cover the hull with a tarp, then slowly work my way around the balsa core, and glass & bolt in SS L profiles, then cover the lot with new ply and fibreglass. I am retired, got time, no worries.
Ill still end up with a palatial home in the sun, for a fraction of the cost of a Hardy.
Cheers
Still Afloat

Why on earth would you want to that? Brooms are built like the proverbial Brick OH, so unless the deck is damaged and shows severe signs of water ingress into the core - check by looking for any soft spots or bits that move when you tread on them there is no need to do anything. The only areas that will be cored are flat panels like the foredeck, side decks and roof.

In the unlikely event of needing remedial work the correct way of repair is to cut out the outer skin, remove the core, replace it with new foam set in epoxy and then laminate the outer skin back on.