# Young Sun 35



## Sandstone

Hello All

I own a Young Sun 35. It was built with teak laid decks on the coach roof and the side decks. The teak was worn out so I have removed it. The boat was built in 1981.

All the screw holes were drilled out, countersunk and filled flush with marine epoxy.
Intentions were to paint with non-slip deck paint as I could not afford to replace with real or artificial teak.

I suspected that there was some delamination so had the decks surveyed. Result was moisture readings off the scale and 99% delamination.

So moisture was entering the substrate possibly for many years prior to having the teak decks removed.

Two previous surveys failed to identify this and percussion tests did not reveal anything wrong.

Coach roof has 3-4mm GRP laminate with 40mm thickness of plywood substrate. Side decks also 3-4mm GRP laminate with 20mm plywood substrate. 

Core samples indicate only one outer GRP laminate, then only plywood through to the interior.
I thought this odd as I was expecting two GRP laminates with plywood core sandwiched in between. 

Removal of test pieces of deck GRP reveal plywood very wet and rotten in places. Also the plywood is in small pieces like a patchwork quilt. 

Attempts to dry it out so that resin can be injected failed as this only achieved drying out the internal teak joinery so I stopped this before the joinery was damaged.

Does anyone know how the Young Sun 35 was constructed ?

How is the coach roof attached to the side decks and how are the side decks attached to the hull ?

I notice on the Tayana 37 that this is achieved by a longitudinal box section onto which the hull and decks are bonded.

The marine surveyor recommends replacing all the plywood substrate and relaminating the decks. Then painting with non-slip paint and then some treadmaster also.

The cost well in excess of the present value of the boat. Estimate around £45,000 to do this work.

The boat cost me £50,000. I have already spent in excess of £60,000 in repairs to date due to a catalogue of problems. Including £17,000 to restore the teak decks 3 years ago, which was not successful as the boatyard failed to realize that the teak was now too thin to be serviceable and should have been removed. The substrate moisture content would subsequently have also become apparent at that time. A missed opportunity.

If I can find out how the boat was constructed I would consider the complete replacement of the decks.

Can anyone offer any suggestions ?

Dave West Wales


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## JimsCAL

Ouch. Teak decks on boats of that vintage are almost sure to be a big problem. Can't believe a yard would have charged that much to restore the teak decks only 3 years ago when they would have clearly been compromised. Basically you are looking a complete recoring of the deck at this point. Not sure how the deck is attached to the hull has any significant impact on the recoring job.


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## Sandstone

Many thanks JimsCAL. It is a steep learning curve. I have found out that boats like mine, similar to the Bob Perry design and built in the 1980,s are now coming to the end of their lives. Not a comforting thought.
I have heard of owners of Hans Christian yachts not messing around with restoring teak decks and just removing them. 
I thought that the structural integrity to allow for longitudinal and transverse stresses relied on a strong deck/hull bond. It looks like this is not the case.

I am in contact with a classic yacht repair specialist in the south of England who specializes in the restoration of wooden yachts who may be able to apply some techniques to my GRP one.

My gut feeling is to walk away from this project but it is a nice yacht and I think if I persevere I will win.

Many thanks for your reply. I was not expecting a response from NY ! 

Dave West Wales


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## SanderO

Sad story here. This may be water over the damn.... but any boat that has any signs of serious wear on decks or around chain plates or stanchion bases should have a very thorough survey of the moisture levels of the laminates... deck, coach roof and hull as applicable. If levels are high you need to consider a major rebuild and that may be too costly.

You might contact the boat's designer for suggestions about how to fix this mess.


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## jeremiahblatz3

The YouTube channel Sail Life has a walk through of recoring a wet deck. It took him (self taught, DIY, perfectionist, etc) months of weekends.


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## Sandstone

Thanks SanderO
It is indeed water over the dam, or locking the stable door after the horse has bolted, and many other relevant cliché's I can think of.

My biggest concern before the deck issue was the condition of the chain plates. They are glassed into the hull and through bolted. The GRP has to be dug away to expose the nuts and then to add insult to injury, one of the bolts is hidden behind the external teak bulwark so you have to determine where it is by using a divider.

It cost £500 to pull out and examine each chain plate due to the labour charge. That's £3000 total, just to find out that they were ok. The bolts were suffering from metal fatigue though so these were replaced.

There is a story of a Young Sun 35 lost at sea because the chain plate for the bob stay pulled through the hull and let in water, then it sank.

The chain plates for the rigging should be external, so they can be easily checked !

The chain plate for the bob stay should not be below the waterline. How bizarre to put it there !

So, if anybody is reading this post considering purchasing an elderly Young Sun 35, don't go near it. No wonder Bob Perry wanted nothing to do with it.

If I go ahead and replace the decks, then I will also fit doubler chain plates for the rigging. Dig out the bolts for the bob stay and renew them, then glass them in again.

The only good thing I can say about the Young Sun 35 is that it is beautifully fitted out inside. 

Dave West Wales


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## sailorshinde

Hi Dave, 

What did you end up deciding? Is Mizar your boat which is up for sale on Yachtworld?


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## Sandstone

Hello sailorshinde.

The boat named "Mizar" in the Yachtworld website is not mine. My Young Sun 35 is named "Taku".


After having removed all the teak from the side decks and the coach roof I asked for a quotation from a company on the south coast of England which specialises in the restoration of classic wooden motor boats and yachts.


They also repair GRP yachts so they were able to give me a favourable quote. This is for complete removal and renewal of the side decks and partial renewal of the coach roof in the affected areas.


It will be the same method of construction as original, ie plywood substrate sandwiched between 2 GRP layers. Maybe some extra deck beams used for extra strength.

I will make sure that any deck fastenings such as cleats and stanchion bases are bolted through from underneath with no wood screws involved. This will reduce the chances of moisture penetrating into the substrate again.


No more teak decking ! The finish will be GRP with non-slip deck paint.

 Regards





The boat is scheduled to be loaded onto a trailer and hauled by road down to the south coast in August.


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## sailorshinde

That is fantastic. I am looking at purchasing a Young Sun 35. I wanted views on how the bluewater capabilities of the boat are. The boat I am looking at has a teak coachroof and grp side decks.


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## Sandstone

Well, if you have read my whole thread and still want to purchase a Young Sun 35 then I suggest very strongly that you get a full survey first.
You are lucky that the teak decking was only applied to the coach roof and not the side decks.

The coach roof on mine was built very strongly, with plywood substrate 40mm thick sandwiched between GRP layers 3mm thick. It was the moisture ingress which was its downfall.

The side decks had a plywood substrate of 20mm thickness. It was the moisture ingress and the delamination which was their downfall.


All this nastiness was going on, quietly, un-noticed, under the teak decking.


The teak decking is only cosmetic anyway, it does not contribute structurally. 


Check for delamination of the side decks. The surveyor should do a moisture reading and a percussion test. 
Also get the chain plates inspected for crevice corrosion if they are hidden and laminated into the hull.


As part of the repairs I will be fitting the chain plates externally. I can keep an eye on them then, and more importantly, easier to access if a surveyor wants to inspect them.


Personally, I would never purchase another Young Sun 35. If I decided I wanted nothing else than a Bob Perry design ( which the Young Sun 35 isn't) then I would save up a bit more and go for the Hans Christian.


Having said that, the Young Sun is no doubt a true blue water cruising yacht. Very heavy and solid. A bit slow but comfortable. If I didn't like this type of yacht I would not have spent the time and money that I have over the last 4 years.

I like to think there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Regards


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## Edobu

Really admire ure tenacity and hope you prevail and enjoy sailing it when the time is right.
I'm curious about the hull/deck joint.I would be grateful if you could elaborate on this.
I was going to see one for sale,but instead think I should have my head surveyed. Many thanks for your words of caution.


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## Sandstone

Hello Edobu. Thank you for your message. A new deck was fitted using a Gurit pvc foam/GRP sandwich. We used pvc80 for most of the deck and pvc200 where there are through fittings for cleats and stanchion posts. I still do not know for sure how the deck is bonded to the hull. It is a semi box section, like an inverted "U". It looks like it may be bolted together but the bolts cannot be seen as it is heavily laminated with GRP. I am in no doubt that it is very strong.
The repairs to the decks and coach roof is completed but other work such as mast/rigging and some electrics has come to a halt during the present situation with the coronavirus. Travel restrictions and boatyards locked down.


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## boatuser

Sandstone said:


> Hello All
> 
> I own a Young Sun 35. It was built with teak laid decks on the coach roof and the side decks. The teak was worn out so I have removed it. The boat was built in 1981.
> 
> All the screw holes were drilled out, countersunk and filled flush with marine epoxy.
> Intentions were to paint with non-slip deck paint as I could not afford to replace with real or artificial teak.
> 
> I suspected that there was some delamination so had the decks surveyed. Result was moisture readings off the scale and 99% delamination.
> 
> So moisture was entering the substrate possibly for many years prior to having the teak decks removed.
> 
> Two previous surveys failed to identify this and percussion tests did not reveal anything wrong.
> 
> Coach roof has 3-4mm GRP laminate with 40mm thickness of plywood substrate. Side decks also 3-4mm GRP laminate with 20mm plywood substrate.
> 
> Core samples indicate only one outer GRP laminate, then only plywood through to the interior.
> I thought this odd as I was expecting two GRP laminates with plywood core sandwiched in between.
> 
> Removal of test pieces of deck GRP reveal plywood very wet and rotten in places. Also the plywood is in small pieces like a patchwork quilt.
> 
> Attempts to dry it out so that resin can be injected failed as this only achieved drying out the internal teak joinery so I stopped this before the joinery was damaged.
> 
> Does anyone know how the Young Sun 35 was constructed ?
> 
> How is the coach roof attached to the side decks and how are the side decks attached to the hull ?
> 
> I notice on the Tayana 37 that this is achieved by a longitudinal box section onto which the hull and decks are bonded.boats
> 
> The marine surveyor recommends replacing all the plywood substrate and relaminating the decks. Then painting with non-slip paint and then some treadmaster also.
> 
> The cost well in excess of the present value of the boat. Estimate around £45,000 to do this work.
> 
> The boat cost me £50,000. I have already spent in excess of £60,000 in repairs to date due to a catalogue of problems. Including £17,000 to restore the teak decks 3 years ago, which was not successful as the boatyard failed to realize that the teak was now too thin to be serviceable and should have been removed. The substrate moisture content would subsequently have also become apparent at that time. A missed opportunity.
> 
> If I can find out how the boat was constructed I would consider the complete replacement of the decks.
> 
> Can anyone offer any suggestions ?
> 
> Dave West Wales


I wonder to own a Young Sun 35 ! Nice to meet you

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## reno43

Its very difficult to find information about Young Sun yachts. I too am looking at removing the teak deck from a 1983 young sun yacht, in my case its the 43 which I assume would be of similar construction to the 35 you have, could you please clarify the side deck and coach roof construction. I read all of the posts in this thread and in one of your final posts you indicated that the side deck and coach roof have two layers of fibreglass, one under the teak, then plywood with another layer of fibre glass under the plywood sandwich, have I read this wrong? is your first post correct, 1xlayer of fibreglass with only ply underneath?


Barry


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## Sandstone

reno43 said:


> Its very difficult to find information about Young Sun yachts. I too am looking at removing the teak deck from a 1983 young sun yacht, in my case its the 43 which I assume would be of similar construction to the 35 you have, could you please clarify the side deck and coach roof construction. I read all of the posts in this thread and in one of your final posts you indicated that the side deck and coach roof have two layers of fibreglass, one under the teak, then plywood with another layer of fibre glass under the plywood sandwich, have I read this wrong? is your first post correct, 1xlayer of fibreglass with only ply underneath?
> 
> Barry


Hello Barry. First of all please accept my apologies for not replying sooner. I have been at sea and could not access the SailNet website. The side decks were teak decked. When the teak decking was removed there was a layer of GRP about 4mm thick into which the teak decking was screwed. Under that layer of GRP was a patchwork quilt of marine ply pieces, roughly sawn and averaging 5" x 5" in size, with marine filler in the gaps. Under this patchwork of marine ply was a uniform layer of GRP 3mm thick. We left this layer in place as it formed the foundation to rebuild the decks using foam a sandwich technique. It was crucial that this GRP layer was kept as without it, it would have been very difficult to rebuild the deck. This layer, although very thin, just about supported a persons weight but even so, we used boards to kneel on . Inside, a thin marine deck head was screwed to this GRP layer. So, the side decks were a total thickness of about 20mm consisting of teak decking, 4mm top layer of GRP, 12mm thick plywood layer, 3mm bottom layer of GRP, 3mm deck head layer of marine plywood for cosmetic appearance only.
The lower GRP level, once dried out, was reinforced with a 4mm layer of chopped strand mat GRP and allowed to cure before the foam layer was applied with a special adhesive bond. The marine surveyor insisted that this bond be intact and perfect before proceeding any further.
After the foam layer was laid and bonded successfully, the top layer of 4mm GRP was applied, which formed the deck surface to walk on. This we painted with non-slip deck paint.
The construction of the coach roof is similar but total thickness of 42mm. Consisting of teak decks, top layer of 1mm to 3mm GRP ( I know, very thin) into which the teak deck was screwed, then 12mm layer of marine plywood, then another 3mm layer of GRP halfway down, then another layer of 12mm marine plywood. It was into this lower layer of plywood that the coach roof deck head of teak paneling was screwed. So there was no lower layer of GRP for the coach roof, only the top layer and the one sandwiched half way through. This was confirmed when I drilled a circular hole with a 40mm hole saw to fit a goose neck for the mast wiring. The coach roof we discovered was built much better and stronger than the side decks. Most of the coach roof was not disturbed. Only the area around the mast foot was renewed due to rot. We attempted to remove more, but it is extremely strong and to replace it would have been time consuming and costly. The only reason we attempted to remove more areas of the coach roof was because of high moisture readings, which are still high now, but nothing else we can do about that. The moisture levels might reduce by themselves over time because no more water is leaking in. 
I have tried to upload photos to show the stages of the repairs but have been unable to. I will try and upload them to Facebook and then let you know where they are.
I hope this helps.
Regards
Dave


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## Kevin_P

Hello All,
I have a Young Sun 35 and have recored the starboard deck up to this point. I have many, many photos if you are interested. I have findings similar to the previous posters on the decks... 3-4mm of GRP on upper with a 1/2" plywood core cut up in squares, then another 3-4 mm GRP layer underneath. 

We used a corecell foam for core from Jamestown Distributors with epoxy resin/silica/etc then laid the GRP top layer back ontop and glassed that in. My teak was still good and I had my Dad's help, so we actually relaid the teak deck with adhesive (NO SCREWS). The deck is still in place after three years with no sign of failure from the adhesive. 

I used starboard in the core for any areas with cleats or stanchions and also cut new aluminum backing plates for all hardware... would have used stainless steel if if was accessible and cheap. That side deck alone took many, many weekend months. That deck is rock solid now and our leaks have subsided. There is a huge difference in strength. We still of course need to do the port side and the coach roof. ugh.

I would say the the Young Sun and almost all of these Taiwanese boats were constructed similarly with plywood core, regardless of being a Robert Perry design, Garden, or otherwise. I've seen Baba 35's, Tayanas, Hans Christians which all fetch much higher value with the exact same problems. Hardware and other features can differ for sure, though.

In my humble opinion, it's probably not worth it to pay a yard to do the work, unless you've got a ton of cash that you'd like to burn. You'd certainly end up paying what you would for a boat in much better condition. 

But if you have the time, tools and perseverance to do the work yourself, it can be worthwhile. These boats are pretty solid and have amazing salty character. The previous owner of my boat sailed her from the Great Lakes down to Florida and back. Very seaworthy, for sure.

Hope this helps. 
-Kevin
s/v Vegvisir


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## Kevin_P

Also, thanks to Dave for posting regarding the coachroof. That is very interesting information as we consider recoring that area. We have several soft spots and would like to remove the teak, recore and do nonskid (Kiwi deck or similar). After reading his experiences, I might change the plan to some degree. We still have a lot of leaks there though that need to be addressed. 

Thanks, 
Kevin


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## Ethan R

Kevin_P said:


> Hello All,
> I have a Young Sun 35 and have recored the starboard deck up to this point. I have many, many photos if you are interested. I have findings similar to the previous posters on the decks... 3-4mm of GRP on upper with a 1/2" plywood core cut up in squares, then another 3-4 mm GRP layer underneath.
> 
> We used a corecell foam for core from Jamestown Distributors with epoxy resin/silica/etc then laid the GRP top layer back ontop and glassed that in. My teak was still good and I had my Dad's help, so we actually relaid the teak deck with adhesive (NO SCREWS). The deck is still in place after three years with no sign of failure from the adhesive.
> 
> I used starboard in the core for any areas with cleats or stanchions and also cut new aluminum backing plates for all hardware... would have used stainless steel if if was accessible and cheap. That side deck alone took many, many weekend months. That deck is rock solid now and our leaks have subsided. There is a huge difference in strength. We still of course need to do the port side and the coach roof. ugh.
> 
> I would say the the Young Sun and almost all of these Taiwanese boats were constructed similarly with plywood core, regardless of being a Robert Perry design, Garden, or otherwise. I've seen Baba 35's, Tayanas, Hans Christians which all fetch much higher value with the exact same problems. Hardware and other features can differ for sure, though.
> 
> In my humble opinion, it's probably not worth it to pay a yard to do the work, unless you've got a ton of cash that you'd like to burn. You'd certainly end up paying what you would for a boat in much better condition.
> 
> But if you have the time, tools and perseverance to do the work yourself, it can be worthwhile. These boats are pretty solid and have amazing salty character. The previous owner of my boat sailed her from the Great Lakes down to Florida and back. Very seaworthy, for sure.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> -Kevin
> s/v Vegvisir


I am very interested to see the pictures you have of the teak work you have been doing on your boat.
I am a new owner of a Young Sun 35, and will have to tackle some water penetration problems in the cockpit.

During a rain water was pooling in the forward starboard corner seats of the cockpit and I was getting water leaking into the aft cabin. So I have that project to look forward to.

I was thinking about putting down a layer of cetol on the teak in the cockpit to help give some resistance to water penetration, at least until I could get into a warmer climate/season to do some exploratory surgery on the cockpit.

Warm Regards,
Ethan


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## Kevin_P

Hello Ethan,
Yes, I could share some photos. I'm certainly not an expert, but perhaps my experiences might shed some light. We have the same problem in the cockpit area and will dig into that at some point as well. For now, in the winter months, the boat is under a tarp, so the leaks are out of sight.  Cetol might help a little bit. If you don't think the core is rotted, you could try rebedding the screws and plugs that hold the deck down. But the deck is rotted out, you might be better off waiting until you can pull the cockpit deck off and re-core. I'll PM you when I get a few photos together. Hope this helps.

Thanks,
Kevin



Ethan R said:


> I am very interested to see the pictures you have of the teak work you have been doing on your boat.
> I am a new owner of a Young Sun 35, and will have to tackle some water penetration problems in the cockpit.
> 
> During a rain water was pooling in the forward starboard corner seats of the cockpit and I was getting water leaking into the aft cabin. So I have that project to look forward to.
> 
> I was thinking about putting down a layer of cetol on the teak in the cockpit to help give some resistance to water penetration, at least until I could get into a warmer climate/season to do some exploratory surgery on the cockpit.
> 
> Warm Regards,
> Ethan


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## Ethan R

Thanks Kevin,

Any information is going to be useful. I am going to be tackling this project solo and on a budget.

I will be sure to let you know what I dig up when I start poking and prodding around the teak in the cockpit. I took a closer look at it today when it was drier, the calk around the boards is looking like it is a little older and dried up and shrunk. With the amount of water that was sweating through the cabin roof I am not hopeful about the state of the core, but we really won't know until I start digging what I find.

Warm Regards,
Ethan



Kevin_P said:


> Hello Ethan,
> Yes, I could share some photos. I'm certainly not an expert, but perhaps my experiences might shed some light. We have the same problem in the cockpit area and will dig into that at some point as well. For now, in the winter months, the boat is under a tarp, so the leaks are out of sight.  Cetol might help a little bit. If you don't think the core is rotted, you could try rebedding the screws and plugs that hold the deck down. But the deck is rotted out, you might be better off waiting until you can pull the cockpit deck off and re-core. I'll PM you when I get a few photos together. Hope this helps.
> 
> Thanks,
> Kevin


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## Kevin_P

Ethan R said:


> Thanks Kevin,
> 
> Any information is going to be useful. I am going to be tackling this project solo and on a budget.
> 
> I will be sure to let you know what I dig up when I start poking and prodding around the teak in the cockpit. I took a closer look at it today when it was drier, the calk around the boards is looking like it is a little older and dried up and shrunk. With the amount of water that was sweating through the cabin roof I am not hopeful about the state of the core, but we really won't know until I start digging what I find.
> 
> Warm Regards,
> Ethan


Hello, sorry for the delayed response. Here are a few images from the project. Not pictured is the 2 layers of glass we laid on top of the skin sections after everything was sandwiched together. I added some box aluminum sections at the bow to add a little more strength. Not sure if if helped at all, but it felt good doing it.  The foam is from Jamestown Distributors. I think Corecell. Deck teak was reapplied with liquid adhesive, NO SCREWS. We only did one side of the boat. Planning on doing port side and cabin top at some point in the future. The deck is rock solid. Hope this helps. -Kevin


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## Kevin_P

We plugged all holes in the teak before reapplying with Teak Decking Systems Epoxy. All caulking was Teak Decking Systems caulk as well.


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## Doug Marshall

Hi every body. I have a 1984 Young sun Cutter 35 called Magic and have owned her for 7 years. I bought her in Bermuda after my boat was sunk in a hurricane. I bought her at low cost as she had simply sat on a swinging mooring for for six years. I lived on her and sailed her single handed all around the Caribbean and crossed the Atlantic single handed three times. I am in the Uk at the moment and am having a new bowsprit made and having her copper bottomed. She is a brilliant boat and whilst my choice was limited when I bought her I would not swop her now. The longer I have had her the more I love her.

I have heard the story of the bob stay anchor coming off and the boat sinking. There are always stories, some true and some not so. Still its those things we worry about in bad weather when tiredness creeps in to our brains. I am also fibre glassing a second bulk head just behind the anchor point, better safe than sorry, as whilst I have checked my anchor point and do not believe it is likely to give I know I will sleep better if I know that even if it does break free then I wont sink. Plenty else to deal with but nor water pouring in. If you think about it though even if the anchor point was a few inches under the water, if it was to hole then water would still get in unless you were in a glassy calm. 

Every time I go in a yard or chat to other sailors there is always another thing pointed out about how something is bound to sink your boat. On my old Sabre 34 which I had also sailed over oceans single handed I was warned a few times that the chain plates were famous for failing. Before she was thrown on to the rocks and ground down to half her mast was ripped out and deposited some 50 or 60 ft from her. Still attached to each of the chain plates was two or three feet square feet of GRP. Wow the times that I had needlessly worried about them in bad weather.

I am crossing the Pacific in her next year or the year after and I know she will do me fine. Mind you they do call me Lucky Doug


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## Kevin_P

Hello! Wow, thanks so much for your story and perspective... gives me some piece of mind on my chainplates, at least for this year(planning to replace next year). I've seen the same video of the Young Sun who sank out in the Atlantic and have that in the back of my mind regarding bobstay chainplate. I'm hoping to beef that up at some point in the future as well. The bulkhead is also a good idea. Yes, the Young Suns, and probably most boats, are a labor of love. It seems that the projects are endless. I'm hoping to get ahead of the curve at some point, but that seems off in the distance with more re-coring and other challenges in my future.

Good luck on your Pacific Crossing!
Cheers!
Kevin Petajan
s/v Vegvisir



Doug Marshall said:


> Hi every body. I have a 1984 Young sun Cutter 35 called Magic and have owned her for 7 years. I bought her in Bermuda after my boat was sunk in a hurricane. I bought her at low cost as she had simply sat on a swinging mooring for for six years. I lived on her and sailed her single handed all around the Caribbean and crossed the Atlantic single handed three times. I am in the Uk at the moment and am having a new bowsprit made and having her copper bottomed. She is a brilliant boat and whilst my choice was limited when I bought her I would not swop her now. The longer I have had her the more I love her.
> 
> I have heard the story of the bob stay anchor coming off and the boat sinking. There are always stories, some true and some not so. Still its those things we worry about in bad weather when tiredness creeps in to our brains. I am also fibre glassing a second bulk head just behind the anchor point, better safe than sorry, as whilst I have checked my anchor point and do not believe it is likely to give I know I will sleep better if I know that even if it does break free then I wont sink. Plenty else to deal with but nor water pouring in. If you think about it though even if the anchor point was a few inches under the water, if it was to hole then water would still get in unless you were in a glassy calm.
> 
> Every time I go in a yard or chat to other sailors there is always another thing pointed out about how something is bound to sink your boat. On my old Sabre 34 which I had also sailed over oceans single handed I was warned a few times that the chain plates were famous for failing. Before she was thrown on to the rocks and ground down to half her mast was ripped out and deposited some 50 or 60 ft from her. Still attached to each of the chain plates was two or three feet square feet of GRP. Wow the times that I had needlessly worried about them in bad weather.
> 
> I am crossing the Pacific in her next year or the year after and I know she will do me fine. Mind you they do call me Lucky Doug


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