26S Cracked Ballast Questions

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Goatman
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Aug 02, 2020 2:49 pm
Sailboat: MacGregor 26S
Location: Strongsville, Ohio

26S Cracked Ballast Questions

Post by Goatman »

Hello, I recently purchased a 1990 26s that we trailer'd from Jersey to Ohio. When we put her into the water we found that we were getting a lot of water under both side seats and into the v-berth. We also noticed that the ballast level dropped and at some point it eventually stopped. There was a crack in the port side storage compartment under the bed which is under the cockpit around 20" long and C-shaped. (About in the middle.)

Since then we've pulled her out and cut through the fiberglass shell and then through another fiberglass covering to reach the ballast which was cracked pretty badly. We're hoping there isn't any more. The previous owner said the last time they sailed her it was fine but it was sitting outside unused for about 3 years. Freezing is the only thing we can think of that would have caused this but we're told there definitely was no water in there after they pulled her out.

Is there a good chance of other cracks that we can't see? Since water may have filled into the first fiberglass cover of the ballast, is that going to be vulnerable to freezing since I don't think there's any way of getting that water out that I can think of?

We paid $7,000 for the boat and the previous owner has said they would send us $1,000 back to help.

Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Mitch
BallastCrackC.jpg
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"The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The realist adjusts the sails." ~William Arthur Ward
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