Gelcoat cracks transom plate

I had a crack like that with my grady white and went to an expert to check it. Anyone else having this problem i have a 2000 triton 186 that the gel coat has been getting hundreds of tiny white cracks on the right gunwale since 2008, when i first noticed it. The gelcoat which is applied to the outer surface is not as flexible as the resin with fiber embedded in it is. Cracks in transom grady white boat owners forum grady. Gel coat is easy to use from application to sanding. The number of boats that develop serious blister problems is extremely small. All the cracks except for in the transom area i just noticed it the other day are spreading. I have cracks around my upper motor mounting bolts. Granted, the epoxy coatingsealing under the cap will also crack if stressed enough but in that case the aluminum cap acts as a flexable cover that should shed water.

After all, this part of the boat gives the first impression by any. Feb 23, 2016 im pretty sure the stress cracks are from rough water. One quick and easy way to repair gelcoat stress cracks yourself is by using magicezy hairline fix a purpose built diy repair solution for stress cracks in gelcoat and fiberglass. Total trailering is less than 200 miles on mostly smooth roads and always have used the my wedge. When to tell if a fiberglass bass boat transom is bad. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are, of course, not rare.

With time, it is possible that gelcoat can become cracked, simply through wear and tear or a specific incidence of damage. Complications occur when theres damage on a textured surface like diamond nonskid or on a multitone finish. At the very bottom of the transom, right along the radius where it meets the running surface, ive got gel coat cracks. This took a lot of time to figure out how to do everything correctly. Oct 01, 2019 today we will be fairing out the transom and spraying the gel coat on our 1992 23 ocean master project boat. I ground that area and glassed in some mat and cloth, and filled and repainted that section many years ago. Moisture can also penetrate the transom skin at hardware fasteners, around drain holes and io cutouts. The plan was to do the repair when i pulled the boat out for the winter. Looks like from stress overtime where the jack plate mount is screwed into the transom. While it is a pretty complicated job, replacing the transom core isn. If you dont end up replacing the transom, those cracks will need chased and. Gelcoat can also be rolled or applied by foam brush in patch areas, but spraying tends to yield best results with the least amount of followup sanding. A good test is to belt it with the side of your clenched fist and see if it is solid.

Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat. Center console boats with clever transom designs sport. The lower 14 of the transom was rotted, allowing the outer skin to flex. At that time the surveyor pointed out some very small cracks in the transom gelcoat around the rim of the exhaust. Gelcoat doesnt flex at the same rate as the underlying fiberglass layer fiberglass is more flexible, so stress cracks appeared all over. Ive written about it before, but gelcoat is so much harder than the underlying layup, that when the layup flexes the gelcoat cracks. Heres a small example of what things looked like before i started, cracks highlighted with a sharpie pen so theyre easier to see. The cracking and flaking is only the gel coat, the fiberglass integrity is fine. The very basic reason for stress cracks in a gelcoat finish is the hull or surface that the gelcoat is bonded to flexed or moved an amount beyond the point that the gelcoat can flex, so it just cracks, because the gelcoat has no structural bearing attributes. They are all around the seats, cooler, rod box, and trolling motor. Im pretty sure the seat pan is gonna have to come out soon to be reinforced.

Apply gelcoat with a putty knife or plastic spreader. Because gelcoat by its nature is a hard and brittle substance, hairline craze cracks may result with age. For a quick beefup repair just get a big offcut of waterproof ply about 9mm thick and throughbolt that to to the transom use stainless steel bolts with nyloc nuts and big penny washers, all in stainless steel, washers inside and out, at least four nuts and. Today we will be fairing out the transom and spraying the gel coat on our 1992 23 ocean master project boat. I bought a repowered 2000 25 cc in april of last year.

Hairline cracks, stress cracks or spider cracks star cracks that occur in gelcoat surfaces on fiberglass boats or other water craft are often seen as a cosmetic issue. Spider or structural cracks around transom boat design net. Lay up the repair against a blanking plate, which can be any slippery surface. I was finishing up waxing the bottom of the boat today and discovered what im afraid could be a very serious problem. This is an extended transom, some call a motor bracket, built out from the transom with a small well in it on which the motor is bolted to the rear of. So i used just the old clarion mounting plate for now. Before and after gallery white mountain fiberglass. Both boats had cracks in gelcoat in the splash well where it meets transom.

Apply enough thickened epoxy to the contact surface of the backer plate to bridge gaps. When i returned the boat to him after i had cleaned entire boat top to bottom, he called about 4 days later and said he had something to show me so i went over to his house and to my surprise the entire port side of boat was full of gel stress cracks, long story. Those 4 strokes are a little heaver than the 2 strokes of the 90s. As gelcoat ages it can get hard and brittle, and it starts to crack near fittings and in highstress areas. The work was to peel off the top middle of the transom and use a piece of 3 x 3 fiberglass to tie it to the core structure of the transom. Id be surprised if a 90 degree joint like these werent stress cracked after 32 years with a 400 lb motor mounted on it. How to fix crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks.

If your boat has a case of dock rash it could be time to think about repairing and refreshing your gelcoat. There are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. Adding or upsizing backing plates to attachment points and bracing to. From what it appears, ranger uses the pultruded plates in the transom and in other areas where they need a really substantial backing plate. Cracked fiberglass near transom grady white boat owners. This resin can be used as a protective surface over the top of fiberglass, or simply as a finish, much like you might varnish a piece of outdoor furniture. When gelcoat is dry, sand the surface flush with the surrounding surface. Is one better than the other for strength, big water, less gel coat cracks. He felt they were cosmetic and recommended repairing the gelcoat. Gel coat crack around jack plate microskiff dedicated. Applying gelcoat to fiberglass is simple if you have the right tools and take care to. Or just shore the transom with 45 degree angles under the engine well. Over time, as the transom flexes with use, it can develop gelcoat cracks in the corners of the well.

Boat hull, deck and transom repair archive boat repair forum. It has been getting progressively worse since i discovered it, and spreading to the rest of the gunwales. Repairing fiberglass powerboat transoms epoxyworks. Repairing the transom of the boat is a minor boat repair since the transom is the flat area located at the back of the boat. On horizontal surfaces, liquid gelcoat works, but for vertical surfaces, a paste is easier to apply. Like rex mentioned hairline gelcoat cracks arent much of a concern, i would keep an eye on it and go fishing. The one on the left looks like is a gelcoat stress crack, but the one on the right looks like its deep enough to be in the laminate.

If the cracks are only in the surface gelcoat, and do not extend into the laminate itself, your problem is merely cosmetic and is easily resolved with sandpaper and paint. Sometimes, theyre merely cosmetic, meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. You really have to look hard to see the crack and it looks extremely shallow, i saw one little chip on the back of the boat that was about 60 times deeper than the crack and it still wasnt reaching through the figerglass. I have seen this before on a 2050zx deep v skeeter boat, i used this boat for a day trip to mille lacs it was a friend of mines boat. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating magazine. On that note i do not see anything to make me think the transom is affected structurally. Properly applying gelcoat is the key to a good finish.

How to apply gelcoat the endall guide fiberglass coatings. The transom is under a lot of stress and the gelcoat can spider crack. Moisture penetrates the plywood core, leading to delamination and eventual rot. Gelcoat is a fiberglass resin that has had a pigment added to it. Our transom was loaded with gel coat crazing when we purchased our used mkii and its bothered me ever since. A fiberglass layup that is too wet, or has too much resin will crack also. Trailering can be a weak transom killer also, make sure to strap down solid and use the transom saver, and watch for the big potholes.

Below is a detailed guideline on how to repair the transom on your boat. You can patch it but it will only be for a little bit until next. Gelcoat is a liquid that hardens to form a thick layer thats used to protect fiberglass and give it a shiny, smooth finish. Once the gel coat has reached a full cure, progressively sand the area to a polish. May 29, 2017 this is an in depth video of how to replace a boat transom. Do to incredibly full plate of a big household project i was wondering about doing just. It was a quick way to make it look better for a while anyway, but the cracks always reappeared later. Transom connected to stringers with glassed over wood. Its hard to see in a photo but they appear to just be on the surfacegel coat. When the top of the transom is only glass and gelcoat, those cracks can lead to water intrusion.

Transoms are major structural parts of fiberglass powerboats, especially outboards. So i have been looking for my next boat now for over a year. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. Lift the engine up and swing of it and see if the transom moves or. It can hardly be felt with the finger, but a finger nail will catch it. There would be no need to repair that sort of crack for any other reason than cosmetic. Mar 05, 2017 i had an unfortunate incident with the boat which created some cosmetic gelcoat damage to the underside of the vessel. Many of our customers are hesitant to use it, thinking its too complicated or they think they cant end up with a good finish. Ive attached a word doc with pictures detailing the gel coat repair job completed before launch this year. Long term, the plywood in the transom looses strength and becomes very flexible, allowing the gelcoat and fiberglass to crack. In this episode we cover the initial prepwork involved with repairing fiberglass nonskid, with the intent of replacing the original gelcoat with awlgrip and a new nonskid texture. Discussion in fiberglass and composite boat building started by topsail2014, jan 15, 2014. Jun 24, 2011 long term, the plywood in the transom looses strength and becomes very flexible, allowing the gelcoat and fiberglass to crack.

On old boats, it is sometimes best to leave the crack alone, without repair for newer models, we offer a gel coat craze crack. Holes in the gel coat dont always have to be accidental. Yesterday i went to look at two potential new to me 1999 year gradys. One manufacturer use to just sand and polish spider cracks especially on runabouts with metal flake gelcoat. Gelcoat is not really a useful moisture barrier, so a crack should not be a concern for moisture ingress. Its caused by the stress placed on the inadequate chainplate backing plate which is the same size inside as the outside piece. I found a hairline crack in the gelcoat on the lower port side of my transom. Also, deep gouges may need structural fiberglass work or filler before you repair the gelcoat. How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating.

Apr 19, 2017 over time, as the transom flexes with use, it can develop gelcoat cracks in the corners of the well. So when the sterndrive caused the transom to flex, the gelcoat cracked under undue stress and left a series of cracks mostly near the bottom of the outdrive. Due to the construction of that open stern, i could see where the layup moves some with the trust of the motor. However, if the cracks are larger than spiderweb size and the surface is uneven then i would look carefully for structural damage. In most cases this is true, however it is important to seal them correctly otherwise water may penetrate into the fiberglass and cause more serious damage. Barker has eliminated the splashwell and incorporated a jack plate, which extends the aft deck. These craze cracks usually develop on surfaces where the gel coat is heavy. Repairing the transom is not that difficult if you have the right tools and equipment.

One crack extends horizontally several inches toward the outside of the boat. Surface gelcoat scratches can be buffed with polishing compound, and deeper scratches can be filled. These factors have a cumulative effect on structural failure. He showed me on a bad transom how the sound would deaden if there was water damage. And there again, does the expense of a new transom increase the value of the boatno. Also, older fiberglass boats tend to have a thicker application of gelcoat which means they are more susceptible to cracking. While it is a pretty complicated job, replacing the transom. Ive seen guys put aluminum or steel plates on the transom and remount the engine, but, thats like putting a bandaid on cancer. This premium marine grade gel coat may be as gecloat for boats, gelcoat for pools or many other applications.

Eventually they went to fixing the cracks the correct way of grinding out the gelcoat and lamination layers that were damaged. When to tell if a fiberglass bass boat transom is badspider. Worst cracks we have are on the transom around the flat cut where the boarding ladder is mounted and on the piece running by the back stay chainplate and across to the other side. No matter how careful you are, fiberglass boats collect dings and gouges over time. The only way its moving enough to crack this badly is if the wood in your transom is rotten, or the previous owner backed the boat into something. These premium quality isophthalic npg gel coats are. Also im not crazy about the screws they use here to attach the plate. Also there is a hole in front where it looks like it hit or rubbed something for a long time. Cracks in gelcoat at the transom i would like to add that the cracks are vertical maybe to 12 inch long,and there are 5 of them all together on both sides. Instead he took the handle of a screw driver and tapped on the transom.

White gel coat, precolored gel coat, clear gel coat, neutral tintable gelcoats. Spider cracks in deck gel coat wooden deck spacing material resealing deck to hull cleaning up an old boat bow eye plate 5m aluminum boat attaching. We stripped off the gelcoat and made sure the laminate was dry and then faired and recoated the bottom with epoxy barrier coatings and a epoxyteflon top coat for a protected bottom that repels growth. Up on the transom exactly at the side edge of the thick plywood.

The cracks at the transom corners are only hairline in the gelcoat, no structural problems. What is the fix for the hairline cracks in the gelcoat. Only down side is that id have access ability issues under the deck. Spider cracks in gelcoat moderated discussion areas. Which in turn crack gel coat on glass transom or dent alum transoms, and on wood hulls pierces paint layer and crushes the wood. Deck or fishing platform for a stessco skipper 420 after market fcv585 mounting bracket. Stress cracks in fiberglass bass boats, canoes, kayaks. This 26 formula came in from maine with the bottom covered in gel coat blisters.

When the transom loses its stiffness, so does the outboard motor. Pull the tape and sand the tape line smooth at the 400 grit. Follow along and see how to make a boats gel coat come out looking amazing. I will be adding plate to my boat to prevent this seneario from making spot where water will invade my transom. Was thinking to just use some 5200 marine sealant that way it can fill the void easily. You should have about 10 to 15 minutes of working time after adding the catalyst before it starts to harden and is no longer fluid. If there are no cracks in the fiberglass, it would be necessary to dry the fiberglass completely with heat lamps andor heat gun before resurfacing it with new gelcoat. Some of the cracks in the gel coat are on the underside possibly. As a side note, i will be documenting my stress crack repair later, after the new transom. Transom gelcoat stains if this is your first visit, be sure to check out the faq by clicking the link above. Fish mille lacs from opener to ice up and get caught out in some rough stuff often. Although this usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boats structural integrity. Crazing is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats, and although it usually starts off as a matter of cosmetics, in severe cases these surface cracks can grow, deepen, and eventually threaten your boats.

I noticed two small 1inch cracks on the transom on either side of the outboard. Hairline crack on transom moderated discussion areas. Mark the cracks and see if they get bigger before getting extreme. Thats as long as they are stress cracks, fine hairline like spider web, not something you can see into. I never go out in rough weather and have taken it very easy.

Apply gelcoat use a small wood or plastic putty knife to spread the gelcoat smoothly over the gelcoat repair. Question wanted gel coat person or company crack in hull question. Paint and fiberglass repair archive performance boats online. Well i purchased the boat knowing it had some slight cracking where the mercury 90hp two stroke outboard mounts on the interior of the transom next to the lag bolts the longest being on the left side if standing behind the motor and a slight crack on the right. Magicezy hairline fix is a onepart, pretinted available in 10 colors sealant that allows you to complete the repair in seconds without having to grind out the.

Fiberglass boat construction techniques walleye message. He uses a rotary tool to grind the crack down to the fiberglass, then he fills it with and interlux epoxy filler called interprotect watertite, uses a longboard sander to sand and then it is ready. So, we are here to provide a stepbystep guide on how to properly apply gelcoat. Sometimes it takes a season of use with the stress and flexing of the hull and deck for spider crack to show up. Obviously they build the hull, then drop the deck onto it. It was mostly cosmetic, but it did chip through the gelcoat. Bump a dock too hard and they will show up, and very common around the corners of the transom at the splash well. Now, i have had a couple glass boats in the past that got gel coat stress cracks pretty much right out of the box. Gelcoat used to patch existing gelcoat, fiberglass repairs, and for new construction and projects.

This of course assumes that your crack was caused by water getting into the transom and freezing. Gel coat cracking on 2000 tritonanyone else having this. Stringer replacement gel coat or reglass inside of boat strigners. Stringer to transom and hairline hull crack repair. Tthe crack is probably 10 inches long and does not follow a straight path. Ive fixed all my rotten wood issues so im ready to fix the cracks. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. I am concern about the stress cracks in the transom even though the dealer i bought the. But i have a 10 year old ranger 618 that i run hard.

Until i owned a ranger i would probably have agreed with the comment. Gelcoat crack and crazing repair moderated discussion areas. Repairing stress cracks 1988 glastron boat restoration project. Many of these are minor and limited to the gelcoat that smooth, shiny outer layer of the. I noticed some stress cracks in the gel coat below the portside mounting bracket for my swim platform.

It is common to see on older boston whaler boats that some cracks appear in the gel coat layer in certain areas of the hull which may have some bending stresses on them such as at the transom and where the gel coat layer is thicker than elsewhere. Aug 27, 2012 i have lots of hair line cracks in the gelcoat. I was thinking he was going to take a meter and check for water content in the wood or do some other cool thing. How to fix crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks which. Transom cracksdelaminating microskiff dedicated to the. The boat is a 1986 lund predator and it can be viewed on many of. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters and is an incredibly common issue on modern fiberglass boats. Any reason to be alarmed or cautious about buying the boat or is this just normal due to the. If you see numbers that are scribed into the hull, on the gelcoat,be wary. Gel coat resin is not particularly flexible, and in thick areas the resin has a tendency to crack. They may be stressing even over the road some areas where the gel coat is very thick, like inside corners etc.

Remove the aluplates and the drain tube if necessary. Hull showing cracks skeeter boats indepth outdoors. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. There are some spider cracks on a few places on the transom. One was an 208 adventure and the other a seafarer22.