During frequent trips to clean the bottom during the Summer 2002, the development of a case of the famous 'C&C Smile' (where the keel-hull joint seperates due to loose keel bolts or other problems with the joint) was observed and monitored. When the boat came out of the water in early November, this is what we saw:

This crack appear to have initially developed the year before, and having sat out during the winter the freeze-thaw cycles that we see around here led to some progressive delamination between cast keel and the glass sheathing just below the joint, so a bit of grinding was required to get back to good lamination on either side of the joint. There also appeared to be a problem in the area just above and afore of the joint which reveal some nasty voids in the glass roving. The bolts were tightened up real good and the area was ground out in mid-November and left until early March to dry out while I worked on the rudder repairs. Post grind we got to this:

In March its usually cold and this year it was unusually cold. Effecting repairs that would last required the right materials and their proper use. Upon consultation with Chris and Michigan Fiberglass, I used Vinyl Ester resin with microballoon filler to fill the crack and epoxy and 30oz cloth to relaminate the structural area above the crack. Lots of heat lamps were used to keep the area warm in temps below freezing and several little digital thermometer were used to monitor the surface temperatures on the areas being worked on. Vinyl Ester with microballoons is good stuff to work with: it cures relatively quickly (< 4 hours to a complete cure), is wonderfully sandable, and, like epoxy, is durable in applicatoins below the waterline. After repairing these areas, this is what we got:

Several coats of Interprotect 3000 and much laborious sanding later, followed by some VC 17 and here is the finished repair: