Keel Stub Glass Problem?

[DeweyMember]

Hi all,

I’m the new owner of an O30 and I’ve been sanding down the bottom in preparation for new barrier coat and paint.

While sanding the keel stub, I noticed one area sounded different than its surroundings when I tapped it with a knuckle. The surrounding area sounds solid and gives a full sounding ‘thunk’, but the area in question sounds lighter/crisper/almost papery when I tap it. I sanded through to the glass and found that the area in question has a slightly different coloration (pictures attached). It’s the slightly green glass – the normal sounding stuff is yellower.

There is no difference in strength when I press hard and no bulging/softness/malformation.

Can anyone provide any insight to this? Has anyone experienced this with their own boats?

My current understanding is that the keel stub is solid glass with no core in the foot and therefore would not be susceptible to “Catalina Smile”-like behaviors. Is this correct?

Thanks,

Dewey

[DeweyMember]

Images

Starboard side of the keel stub, about 50% chord.

See the spot where I got to the keel lead to confirm where on the stub I was working.

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[SWGKeymaster]

There is no core in the keel stub. There isn’t much, if any, documentation of issues with this part of an Olson 30, that I am aware of at least. Have you tried tapping the area with light hammer? The kind of hammer a surveyor would use, they’re usually hard plastic and on the small side, they use it for finding delamination or soft core spots.

[DeweyMember]

Thanks SWG.

Have gone along and tapped with the handle end of a screwdriver, definitely a difference in sound.

Based on some glass I found sanding nearby, currently theorizing there may be a layer of fiberglass weave laid up on top of the chopped-mat keel stub that spans the stub-keel joint. Is this a feature of the stock boats? If not perhaps added by one of many previous owners.

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