Klegecell Core
Date: October 20, 2002 I'm interested in buying a 1984 Endeavor 33. I noticed in an article on this site about the company changing in 1984 from having the boats cored with plywood, to the "newer" Klegecell closed-cell polyvinyl core. Then in 1985 the company returned to using wood core !!!! This leads me to believe that the Klegecell core is not up to par and should be avoided. Can anyone give me information to refute my hypothesis? I sure like the boat I am interested in....but, this sudden reversal in structural construction gives me serious pause. Thanks in advance for any help. Date: October 30, 2002 I have a 1984 E33, and I've inspected the core where it is exposed, and it seems fine. There is a spot where the fuel tank vent is mounted, where they just cut a hole through the core with a hole saw, and mounted the fitting to the hull, and you can get your finger in there and poke the foam, to see if it is still strong. Mine is. You can also get to it in the area of the icebox, although that's not structural, it's the same foam, installed at the same time that the hull core was, so it should at least tell you if the basic core is good. I've done a fair bit of looking around on the internet for information regarding Klegecell foam, and the general idea is that as long as you can keep water out, particularly salt water, it'll be fine. What happens if water gets into the core, is that it leaches out the component chemicals, and those chemicals will dissolve the core where they are in contact. So, even though it's theoretically waterproof, and "closed cell", in practice, if it gets water into the core, it's a 'bad thing'. In all the documents that addressed this issue, the important point was to be sure to seal the core edges with epoxy at any penetration. That said, in my boat the fuel vent location is not sealed! I will seal it before I go very far out in the wilds. In my local bay sailing, that area doesn't get submerged... so it's not a problem. The other locations that might be a potential problem are on the cabin top, where the two stainless handgrip poles mount, and where any turning blocks mount, and around the mast penetration. You ought to also look at the penetration where the holding tank vent is, even though that is a real pain to get the little wooden box cover off to get to the inside! Plan to sweat and struggle on that one! <grin> Of course, I had the surveyor check for debonding of the skin and core, throughout the hull and the deck, and we didn't find any. <whew!> My personal feeling is that Klegecell is a good core material. Please feel free to e-mail any questions or comments to me! Date: October 30, 2002 Have a 1983 E-35 whbich the info I have (manual) says it has klegecell construction, & if this is true it was not only used for 1 year. Anyway, after 19+ years have not had any obvious problem above water-line.Had slight blistering 3 yrs. ago & put on a new bottom, but nothing above that where I presumably have k"cell. I say don't worry about it if survey goes well ( Hire your own surveyer, not one brought in by broker). Great boat for the bucks!! Date: October 30, 2002 Our E38 Center Cockpit was built in 1985 and has balsa coring in the hull. It has been very sound and very solid. Date: October 31, 2002 Don't have anything imperial but I sure like my 1984 E33. No coring problems at all. Date: November 4, 2002 Mel(?) The E33 is a fabulous boat. Don't turn it down on that issue. But watch out for severe rusting of the steel (not stainless!) mast step....it's hard to inspect without the cabin teak and holly sole being lifted. My step is badly rusted and that boat spent much of its life in fresh water. Salt would probably kill it faster. Devil of a job to replace it, I suspect! Date: November 13, 2002 I owned an E35 built 1984 with that coring for ten years and had no problems. Several blue water sailors that were out with me in a race with gusts to 30k and heavy sea said the boat was amazingly stiff. I never say any stress related issues in hull or deck.
From: Mel887@aol.com
From: Howie Hammermann howie@skysound.com
From: Chiola616@aol.com
From: Rex CrawfordBruce Bonbright bonbrightbd@hotmail.com
From: Rex Crawford Sockhat1@aol.com
From: John Roil mckenroi@roadrunner.nf.net
I too have an E33 of 1984 construction...hull #4 to be precise. I had the boat surveyed in 2001 when I purchased it by a "nit-picker" surveyor....my choise for his attention to detail.....and he confirmed no osmosis or apparent wetness or other problems in the core anywhere in the hull, even in one spot where there was a small amount of delamination which he speculated was there from time of construction. I drilled a large-ish hole in the transom to install a hot air furnace vent, and found the core to be solid and dry there. I have no concerns.
From: Jon Richards Endeav35@aol.com
