Please subscribe, leave a comment and give us a thumbs up. But in many cases, the solution is simple and inexpensive. It is hard to make evaluations from such small photos, but if one of the cracks is suspected to be more than just a gelcoat issue, then the other one should be treated the same way. Repairing fiberglass powerboat transoms epoxyworks.
Transom gelcoat stains if this is your first visit, be sure to check out the faq by clicking the link above. I know some have painted their hulls instead of gelcoating. Gelcoat or paint which one should i use boatworks today. In addition to the transom replacement, dr gelcoat eliminated several stress cracks in the hull and exterior transom surface. I wold like to change the color to today new cranberry metallic and off white or light gray. Outboard motors apply a considerable load to the transom. The loads by the outboard are likely being transmitted symmetrically to both corners of the transom and the structure is symmetrical too.
Our boat does not need it but we are considering some winter upgrades possibly including a color change. This boat will be used in fresh water lakes inland and be trailered after e im thinking of the vivid. Up on the transom exactly at the side edge of the thick plywood. They are all around the seats, cooler, rod box, and trolling motor. 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.
Im pretty sure the seat pan is gonna have to come out soon to be reinforced. You can read a lot of glass boat repair manuals and never see anything on the selfrepair of transoms. How to decide if you should refurbish or sell your boat power. Learn how to treat wearinduced spider cracks that appear along the hull of your dinghy. The effects of the motors weight are magnified when the boat is accelerated under normal operating conditions, and when the boat is bouncing along on a trailer. These might be in a parallel pattern or a nondirectional pattern. How to repair deep cracks in fiberglass boats youtube. Ever wanted to fix a crack or hole in a fibreglass boat. Follow along and see how to make a boats gel coat come out looking amazing. I have a 2011 wx 1850 and when wiping it down last week i noticed the fiberglass showing stress cracks in the hull. Ive seen guys put aluminum or steel plates on the transom and remount the engine, but, thats like putting a bandaid on cancer. In this short video i take a minute to fix up an old bad repair. How to fix a crack or hole in a fibreglass boat the new. 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.
How to repair gelcoat, fiberglass boat repair boating magazine. American boat restoration,certified, exceptional quality fiberglass,gelcoat and polyflake boat repair service. The boat is in pretty good condition for its age in my opinion, but the hull does have some minor hairline stress cracks. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat. Repairs will only be authorized after skeeter is satisfied that there is a defect in material or workmanship. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for. The next time youre cleaning and waxing your boat, take the time to look for small cracks, scratches and chips in its gel coat. It has been getting progressively worse since i discovered it, and spreading to the rest of the gunwales. If i took the boat to get it regelcoated at a shop, approximately how much would it cost me.
Need help with transom replacement jet boat forum and. How to fix crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks which. Warranty period runs one year 1 from the date of delivery to the original retail purchaser. Jun 10, 2017 hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. I am concern about the stress cracks in the transom even though the. West marine is committed to outfitting your life on the water. I have found most cracks to be gelcoat cracks anyway. Now this is how i think it is supposed to be done, correct me if i am wrong. Thermal fatigue cracks when gelcoat repeatedly expands or contracts. It will move quite a bit, but there is no cracks in it yet. The effects of the motors weight are magnified when the boat is accelerated under normal operating. On top of the stress cracks in the hull there are numerous other ones throughout the boat but this is the most alarming.
Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. Spider or structural cracks around transom boat design net. In boat repair circles it is a job for a professional yard tear the old transom away and replace it. It has been getting progressively worse since i discovered it, and spreading to the re. You are no longer able to take it on the water and miss out on a lot of peaceful evenings on the river or bay but fusion fiber marine is here to help. If not managed, these small cosmetic annoyances can lead to bigger problems down the road. Unless you can stop the flexing, youre wasting your time fixing the cracks. Would you avoid a boat with the cracks in these pics. Stress cracks in fiberglass bass boats, canoes, kayaks.
Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. Jun 24, 2011 long term, the plywood in the transom looses strength and becomes very flexible, allowing the gelcoat and fiberglass to crack. 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. 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. Hairline crack on transom moderated discussion areas. When to tell if a fiberglass bass boat transom is badspider. If i wanted to do it myself, how much would the equipment and supplies cost, and how many hours would it take two people. The lower 14 of the transom was rotted, allowing the outer skin to flex. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat. This damage is often caused by slight flexing of the hull. I get nervous every time we go on a big lake in it so we take my boat to rough water lakes. But a rep at fiberglast pretty much told me that was a bad idea, even for a jet boat transom. Fiberglass boat repair sacramento sacramento boat repair.
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. Fiberglass repaired and carefully hand shaped to recreate the multiple curves on the transom deck of this boat. Theyre not affecting the integrity of the boat, so dont stress out pun intended if you have a few. This of course assumes that your crack was caused by water getting into the transom and freezing. As that way i can get a few seasons out of it before i tear it apart. This will take more time, but you will have to perform the job as early as possible or risk incurring higher repair costs for other parts of the boat that may be affected by a water breach. Dr gelcoat was very creative in this process and answered my numerous questions along the way. Use a fine grit sandpaper to smooth out the cracks and prep the surface of your boat. Gel coat cracking on 2000 tritonanyone else having this problem.
As a very discriminating customer, this type of close interaction was certainly appreciated. These loads are concentrated on the fiberglass skin and core where the mount is located. Hairline spider cracks must be opened wider and filled with an epoxy filler to be permanently repaired. With the strain a transom takes i would be very leary about taking that boat out on any big. Im pretty sure the stress cracks are from rough water. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gelcoat layers than newer boats. Repairing minor damage to the gelcoat surface of your boat west. I am completely restoring a 1987 fourwinn 200 candia. All the cracks except for in the transom area i just noticed it the other day are spreading.
I bought a used ranger 363v once had terrible cracks in the transom. Hull showing cracks skeeter boats indepth outdoors. Complete cosmetic and structural boat repair specialist. In the opinion of some owners, bright, shiny boats dont sail any better or catch more fish, so why bother with maintenance. This boat will be used in fresh water lakes inland and be trailered after e im thinking of. Repairing hairline cracks and crazing in gelcoat is a pain in the transom, which explains why most people dont do it. Long term, the plywood in the transom looses strength and becomes very flexible, allowing the gelcoat and fiberglass to crack. Gelcoat doesnt flex at the same rate as the underlying fiberglass layer fiberglass is more flexible, so stress cracks appeared all over.
I have not had the boat for a while, i got it through a trade. This yamaha boat sustained damage to the fiberglass and gelcoat at the portside aft deck. May 24, 20 the boat has been around almost 12 years i would expect to see some wear and tear somewhere. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint. Jul 26, 2014 outboard motors apply a considerable load to the transom. I am doing lots of reserch and want to do this rjght so i need to be clear on which processes to. By far the most experienced and professional repair facility.
Transoms are major structural parts of fiberglass powerboats, especially outboards. How much does it cost to regelcoat the entire exterior. Defects in the exterior cosmetic gelcoat finish cracks or crazing and upholstery imperfections. Today we will be fairing out the transom and spraying the gel coat on our 1992 23 ocean master project boat. Our expertise includes fiberglass and gelcoat repair, aluminum boat repair, custom gelcoat color matching, as well as cosmetic repairs, faded gelcoat rejuvenation, structural repairs, recoring decks and hulls, rotted wood floor and transom replacement, wood restoration projects, paint jobs from deck to hull painting, mass painting, custom composite fabrication work and total boat restorations. Im actually very happy that you agree with me on the design issue. Transom test when buying or repairing a boat the united. My father in laws transom on his 87 skeeter is very weak, but has been like that for the last 2 years. The discovery of hull blisters elicits a mental oh no. I assume that may have been due to cost and or availability. Radial cracks spider cracks, star cracks caused by impact or by a fixture bolt that puts strain on a certain area of a boat and cracks occur around the hole. Below is a detailed guideline on how to repair the transom on your boat. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat.
Please browse my before and after pics in the photo section. I just want to get my studies finished before i start redoing the transom,floor and stringers as its a large project. How to fix crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or. Customer photo gallery fishing boat seats, bass fishing boats. Heres a small example of what things looked like before i started, cracks highlighted with a sharpie pen so theyre easier to see. If your boat doesnt have scratches, youre likely not fishing where bass live in springtime. While it is a pretty complicated job, replacing the transom core isn. Spider cracks are not an indication of the boat self destructing there would be more visible damage somewhere such as separating stress points perhaps rust and large cracks around any holes that go through the hull itself fiberglass is some really durable stuff. I am considering buying a used bass boat, the seller says that it could use a new gelcoat from the docking strip up. And there again, does the expense of a new transom increase the value of the boatno. In addition to the transom replacement, dr gelcoat eliminated several stress cracks in. They arent spidercracks,just simple small cracks pretty much in line. Also small stress cracks in the gelcoat at the ends of the top of the transom indicates flexing under load, another sign of a weak and getting bad transom.
With over 250 store locations, 100,000 products in stock, and knowledgeable associates, trust west marine for your boating, sailing, fishing, or paddling needs. Repairing the transom is not that difficult if you have the right tools and equipment. When to tell if a fiberglass bass boat transom is bad. 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 boat s.
See more ideas about boat, bottom paint and 2010 malibu. Apr 02, 2019 owner apathy and dull, tired gelcoat go hand in hand. We repair transoms,floors and specialize in smooth finish gelcoat. Custom color matched gelcoat applied and blended in. This image shows the stress cracks i noted while inspecting the boat the drive is off in the picture, but you can clearly see the stress cracks went well beyond the drive mounting area.
This boat is 2 years old and to be honest i never expected to find something like this. This is a discussion for the topic need help with transom replacement on the board gelcoat paint. Scratches that go through the clear gel and into the color or flake cant be completely removed. And there again, does the expense of a new transom increase the value of the boat no. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are, of course, not rare. Rot repair in glass boats epoxy products to repair and. How to repair deep cracks in fiberglass boats with the new west system fiberglass boat repair kit. Our professional fiberglass boat repair shop is equipped to handle any repair work your boat requires.
Im not sure how to post pictures here but i could email you a photo of the. If the transom bends on top even just a little run. Whole boat should move down a little on the trailer. Follow along as i attempt to repair a damaged section of our boats gel coat. Also, older fiberglass boats tend to have a thicker application of gelcoat which means they are more susceptible to cracking. 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. Fiberglass boat repair tarpon springs fiberglass repair.
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