[Robert Busbey]

Hello,

I’m looking for build information on a 1991 Three Seas 40 built by C.C. Chen Boat Yard Limited in Taiwan. The design is by Ted Brewer and is a pilothouse sloop rigged sailboat. Specifically, I’m looking to know if the hull and decks are solid GRP, or if there was any structure that had cored material (wood) with GRP glassed over it used in the original build.

A link to this vessel is below:

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/three-seas-40

Thanks

Topic

[David Brandle]

With the vintage of this boat you can absolutely expect to find a cored hull and decks.
Ted has passed now, but his widow still sells his plans in BC Canada off his web site send her an email, I spoke to her a couple of months ago about obtaining plans to build one of his boats.

[Warren]

The deck and house sides typically have a variety of wood core material , plywood, Mahogany blocks, end-grain balsa. The build plans might specify . Hulls vary but tend to have less core below water line more in topsides. Typical for all Asia builds.
A knowledgeable surveyor or fiberglass expert should be able to look in bilges and lockers to see if there is coring if they know what to look for.
Slightly destructive investigation could show more if you see coring where you might not want to see it and possibly the condition.
A real condition survey could and should include pulling a thru hull or keel bolt , or even fasteners from fittings like a suspect cleat. But 99.9% of all surveys are observation only unlike commercial surveys that can be a lot more comprehensive, and expensive of course.

[Robert Busbey]

Thank you for your reply. I had also sent an email to the Brewer Design company when I posted this, but have not yet received a reply. I also may try, if needed, to contact the Taiwan builder who still appears to have an operating company.

My concern was for the strength of the hull and decks with a cored aged vessel. The issue of possible de-lamination of the glass from the core material would be a concern, not to mention water osmosis into the GRP below waterline that I’ve heard is common with Asian boats of this vintage.

[Robert Busbey]

Thanks for your reply. I am hoping for more detail from an email sent to Brewer’s Design company. I know I could take off a through hull and look into the hole at the material pattern, and same with a deck water or fuel fill port or air vent, but I’m not currently anywhere near the vessel and there is a limit to what a seller would allow at an early stage.

A survey would be a future step if a sales contract was obtained with contingency on the survey. I would see about locating a surveyor that would be willing to look a little deeper than typical.

[Author]

Replies