Continued/
April 1986
PAGE 9
DEHLER 31/34
FAMILY CRUISERS AND CRUISER RACERS
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CARE AND MAINTENANCE
FORWARD
We trust the following advice will assist you in maintaining your fine new DEHLER yacht
in first class condition. Much of what we say is common knowledge but we feel there is
no harm in putting it down in print.
MOULDINGS
Mouldings generally can be maintained in good condition by washing down regularly with
fresh water and in the case of stains these can be removed with mild detergents or T-Cut
polishing compounds. We believe that at least once every season the smooth area of
mouldings should be lightly polished with first a T-Cut compound and then polished with
one of the many proprietory glassfibre polishes on the market today. This will help to
maintain the rich lustre within the pigmented gelcoats and reduce bloom. Deeper scratches
and abrasions can generally be rubbed down by wet and dry sandpapers and worked up to a
high finish by the use of cutting compounds, T-Cut and finally polishing. Very deep abrasions
that cut through the gelcoat surfaces which are nominally about 20 tho' thick can be cleaned
out and filled with pigmented polyester resins prior to rubbing down and re-burnishing.
Should the yacht be severely damaged we suggest repairs should be put in the hands of an
experienced Company conversant with handling G.R. P. repairs. The yacht can also be
repaired by Dehler where it might, for example, be necessary to mould new sections of
hull and deck and, thereon graft them into the existing G.R.P. fabrication. We can supply
colour pastes and pigments to ensure the best possible colour match. It must be emphasised,
however, due to colour fade over a period of years we cannot guarantee giving you an exact
colour match. Due to the physical characteristics of G.R. P. mouldings severe damage, for
example, a hole in the hull is usually restricted to a local area and will not affect the general
structural integrity of the yacht. It is also fair to say that even if the hull is ruptured the
characteristics of G.R. P. normally mean the laminate will spring back to its original shape
confining what could be a serious leak into a very small leak of water into the hull. For
example, the writer was aboard a seriously damaged Van de Stadt designed G. R. P. yacht
some years'ago where the hull was badly holed below the water line. With careful pressure
from a seaboot the laminate sprang back into place and was then supported by the anchor
chain in a sail bag in the bilges until the yacht could be hauled ashore some hours later.
Very little water entered the yacht at this time and was eaiIy coped with by the powerful
bilge pump provided.
KEEL
Both deep and shallow draft options are constructed in cast iron and when leaving the factory
are surface coated with three coats of epoxy resin, painted and anti fouled. The keels are
fastened into the hull with stainless steel studs, nuts and plate washers. It is unusual tint
keel bolts should need to be hardened up on this form of construction as opposed to a lead
keel. The keel is initially bonded to the hull with a silicone mastic. If over a period of years
the keel shows signs of rusting particularly over the lower surfaces due perhaps to the yacht
being grounded, the areas affected can be cleaned and wire brushed and painted with a pro-
prietory brand of rust proofing paint prior to re anti fouling.
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