T-26 Courser 1981 - New Owner / Leaks

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DTeeSail
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Apr 13, 2021 5:33 am

T-26 Courser 1981 - New Owner / Leaks

Post by DTeeSail »

Hello Chrysler Sailors,

I'm a brand new boat owner this week. A 1981, TMI, T-26 Courser, swing keel. Also sold as a Chrysler C26 in those years before TMI. I bought her from only an outside look, on the dry, with tarps attached over the cabin but the price was amazing. I'm thrilled, and grateful. It's like the classic $1 story. A project boat from the start, and I'm enjoying the new relationship. Background and experience? Not a ton, I've never worked with fiberglass, though I've navigated a 1200 ton vessel over a couple of years and crewed small boats in decades past. I only sailed a Sunfish, and a 19' O'Day for a few days back in the late 80's. Sailing is a newer experience in this maritime journey, despite my land lubber and aerial detour over the past 25 years....this is a retirement dream if you will. I consider myself a greenhorn. No simplicity would offend in the slightest.

As for my new project boat ? She leaks.

The tarp covers were removed just in time for the rainy weekend. The sliding cover was locked up until I got to check her over.

The deck is freshly wet beneath the carpeting of the entire cabin.

A forward leak shows in the V-berth. The hull liner material shows extensive mildew stains port and starboard. I don't know if that's from direct water, or overall humidity in the V-berth cabin area. There is oily brown liquid pooled around the top filler port of the fresh water holding tank, and it is also located below some of the cushions, possibly from up above. It would seem to be oil or some other POL liquid. That liquid is a real mystery. I'm on a search for clues. I haven't risked smelling it. The water in the tank appears to be pink, so that's antifreeze....but the brown ?

From topside, the aft V shaped bulkhead of the anchor hold on the bow, is loose at the top, the whole piece is only attached on the long edges down into the hold. It appears that someone had tried to affix the top ledge to the deck along the way, but it didn't hold. The hatch there seems otherwise intact. I wonder if that top ledge of the bulkhead was designed to be attached or not?

Portals on port (in the head) and starboard (over the dresser drawers) had been replaced by the previous owner, and the hull liner beneath both showed that this was much needed. I'll keep an eye on them, however, the bulkhead behind the dresser drawers, starboard side is freshly rain soaked. The portal seemed tight, so it's got me wondering.

The hull liner beneath the fixed port lights (on both port and starboard) of the main cabin also show me a history of a couple of leaks as well. I removed the interior wood trim and took out the hull liner to reveal some water damage to the fiberglass window edges. Not only this, but a large span of the the pink foam core, around the window edge is exposed rather than sandwiched between the resin. I'll be watching videos more on fiberglass repair. This part (window edges) doesn't look too difficult to fix though.

I'm concerned that cushions of the backrests, showed a horizontal water line all across them. This indicated that the shelving had been taking on rainwater too. There is no history of the vessel ever being submerged, but a look at these backrest cushions made me wonder it at first. While this could be flow through coming from the windows, draining inside the hull liner material down to the shelves, I'm concerned it could be something from further outboard and topside, like the toe rail, chain plate, deck/hull joint or bolts, or other fittings related. I'll get inside during an upcoming rain and watch.

The backing board for the chain plate seems well intact, although darkened from water, and the shelf board is also blackened from water. Replacing either of these will take some fiberglass work to set them into the structure.

I also see a source of water damage on the ceiling liner , nearly mid-ships, a foot or so to the starboard, below the sliding cover. Inspection topsides shows a crack in the plastic rail plate, and crazing of the fiberglass spreading out from that cracked point. Maybe someone stepped where they shouldn't have? I wonder how easy it would be to fabricate another rail for the sliding cover ? Shouldn't be too difficult it looks. If I remove the rail and cover, repair the fiberglass and set the new rail and the cover again, hopefully that will resolve it. The cover itself looks in good condition from exterior and interior.

Another concern I have is some areas of topside gelcoat crazing, especially the ones dispersing from the deck fittings. Naturally, my concern is the boat structure, and safety of the standing rigging. I understand that direction of the gelcoat crazing may reveal the type of damage.

I'm thinking I might paint a coat of epoxy paint on the interior for this first sailing season, rather than re-install "hull liner" so I can watch the water leaks over a variety of conditions. The fiber interior isn't paint smooth yet, but maybe the epoxy paint will help to smooth out.

The big alligator crazing inside most of the storage holds are another area to address. They appear generally dry now, but I'll be looking for the best way to fill in those plentiful alligator cracks. Functional and safe is priority, aesthetics inside the holds won't matter...but if the holds retain water, and have retained water, and that water seeps down in those cracks, I want to be sure where it has gone after that, and what it did.

I'll be borrowing a moisture meter and will go over the boat for other clues.

The hull was repainted two years back, and she needs prep and a fresh coat. The topside is quite dull, in need of waxing/some minor mildew but not too much. No soft decking appears.

As for the rigging, the standing rigging was inspected, and parts replaced about 2011. I'm not sure if a full refit of the standing rigging has ever been done. A view of the mast from bottom to top shows a slight twist, maybe 10 degrees. I'm thinking that's because it's on the dry, and not tuned, but again, I'm a newbie so I'm not sure. Once I handle all of the leaks, I'll be reading, learning, and asking more questions about the mast.

In order to fully assess this project, before investing any money in materials or survey etc. I take ample photos of all the hull liner stain clues currently showing, then use a utility razor knife and a straight edge to score all edges of the material, and remove it throughout the entire boat. Hopefully this will reveal how much water damage it has taken, and any will be easily repairable.

The hull liner throughout appears to be all original 1981 except for areas of replaced hull liner (a slight different color) behind the backboard shelves and below them. At about $20 a yard (and 72" wide), hull liner replacement appears relatively inexpensive and not too difficult a DIY task...but I'll wait to buy, until I resolve all of the above leaks.

I'll post photos of the progress. I'm having a blast so far. Sorry if this is a written book, but I thank you all for any insights or recommendations.
brigadoon
Posts: 171
Joined: Wed Dec 06, 2017 8:58 pm

Re: T-26 Courser 1981 - New Owner / Leaks

Post by brigadoon »

Wow,
Sounds like you have quite a project! If all the items you listed are really leaks it sounds like you will be removing and rebedding all the fixtures on the deck plus the toe rail. Be sure to check the base of the compression post under the mast for rot, it is supported by wood down to the base where it can wick up water. Do you have all the rigging and or sails ? Trailer? How about pictures ? Good luck and keep us posted , ask questions for help and advice.
Rick SV Brigadoon
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