Gel coat stress cracks

Labor is the expensive part when hey start to grind down the cracks, fill them, sanding, the. Evidently nonstructural, but according to the surveyor, probably caused by some weight locally compressing part of the outside of the hull, generating an area of expanding rings of stress cracks, about 23 across, presumably when the deformation pressure released. I am not sure if this was bruhaha but just readheard it some place. If, however, the spider cracks appeared at an attachment point or in a high stress area, theres a good chance theyll simply return after you fix them. When you stress or impact the surface of the boat stress cracks will show up, either in the weakest locations or the locations that are. Csr has removed the gel coat in the area of the hullkeel and found no cracking in the fiberglass. Stress cracks in fiberglass bass boats, canoes, kayaks and.

Jun 25, 2018 there are many ways to repair cracks in fiberglasswhich ones the best. As the substrate flexes as it is designed to do, the gel just cant deflect the same amount and will develop these small cracks. If the gelcoat has broken through, the damaged area needs to be sanded down and a new gelcoat layer applied. He went over my entire boat and fixed several cracks and put new decals on and it was nowhere near 12k that sounds very high to me. If the gel coat is applied too thick it has a tendency to crack because of the difference in thermal expansion, resin will expand much more than the fiberglass substrate. I thought you might want an update on the j120 keel cracking.

May 27, 2009 i dont know about the cowling since i have a minifish little sister of the sunfish. Gel coat hardened too quickly or with improper curing temperatures and conditions can also promote stress cracks in the gel coat itself. Jun 06, 2016 when looking at cracks you may find that there are generally two different types. Can anyone advise me on how i would go about repairing this kind of damage or a. Stress cracks, finishes and surface defects buyers.

Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for. He said it is an easy fix and the way to prevent them is to use automotive paint has more flex. Gelcoat doesnt flex at the same rate as the underlying fiberglass layer fiberglass is more flexible, so stress cracks appeared all over. A common problem within the marine world when it comes to fiberglass gelcoat boats is stress cracks, a. Sometimes, the process is contaminated with tiny drops of oil, etc. These are cosmetic repairs, but they can add significant value and enjoyment to your boat.

Most stress cracking is purely cosmetic, moisture is unlikely to penetrate to the laminate in the topsides and deck, and can easily be detected with a moisture meter. If you have a structural crack that means the entire piece of fiberglass has cracked through. He said some mfgrs dont approve of the extra cost but, fleetwood did. 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. Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gelcoat of a boat.

Sometimes, theyre merely cosmetic, meaning they dont penetrate the gelcoat. Small cracks forming, especially at the surface of the fiberglass. 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. I have an older fiberglass body made around 1993 and i am starting to get stress cracks in some. Magicezy hairline fix is a revolutionary precolored fiberglass and gelcoat repair product that fixes and colors fine stress cracks spider cracks, and hairline fractures fast in one application. They can occur in any form of fiberglass, including cars, boats and swimming pools. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip.

Although gel nail cracks can be annoying, aestheticians will usually be willing to fix a chipped or cracked nail within a week of the manicure for free. Spider cracks in hull boat talk chaparral boats owners. For certain, they reflect the parts flexing to a greater degree than the material can take without cracking. Bump a dock too hard and they will show up, and very common around the corners of the transom at the splash well. Gel coat cracking on 2000 tritonanyone else having this problem.

Tough to say if these cracks are limited to just the gel coat, or if they involve the laminate under. Cracks spreading out from the center, much as you would see in a spider web. If the gel coat is thick in this corner as is often the case, the gel coat is more prone to cracking. When i was looking at boats, all of the cracks were around the tower legs and near the swim platform brackets. Sometimes, they go deeper and threaten an underlying laminate, which in many cases is cored. In this case the cracks need to be examined closely, even chipped away at, to see if they extend through the gelcoats 0. Oct 11, 2017 repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint. It has been getting progressively worse since i discovered it, and spreading to the rest of the gunwales. My questions would surround if they are truly stress cracks or go through the gel coat and into the laminate. These are the easiest cracks to fix as theyre not very deep. Aug 05, 2008 vertical fissures sounds like stress cracking rather than simple crazing. Sometimes, however, spider cracks offer a path for water to get into contact with.

Why do i get stress cracks or crazing in my gelcoat. Ive fixed all my rotten wood issues so im ready to fix the cracks. The good news is that, unlike crazing which happens randomly all over the boat, stress cracking can be fixed by indentifying and fixing the source of the stress,a nd then repairing the gel coat. Csr has removed the gelcoat in the area of the hullkeel and found no cracking in the fiberglass. Repairing hundreds of fiberglass cracks to get ready for spraying awlgrip paint. Crazing in gelcoat, also known as spider cracks or stress cracks, plagues countless boaters. J109 j120 stress cracking in keel hull connection jboat. Gelcoat is the protective coating that covers most fiberglass boats. Extend each coat farther than the previous one, with the last coat out to the tape line. These colors are matched to our composite kayak colors only.

I got stress cracks on my skeeter at the back passenger corner two feet up the side and across the back. All of these boats had some type of gel coat cracking going on. Gel coat crazing dark colored boats blotchy, discolored finishes longevity of finish repairing chips and dings repairing small dings and scratches cleaning should older boats be painted. All about fiberglass boat stress cracks fiberglass boat. Hairline fix seal and color stress cracks and gelcoat. Most people that use there boat eventually will develop some type of stress cracks in there gel coat.

Just get the sandinggrinding tool that comes to a point and trace. Stress by thermal expansion or when bulkheads and liners were installed can cause minor flexing. Hull showing cracks skeeter boats indepth outdoors. Stress cracks stress cracks on hull bottoms gel coat voids a common question should stress cracks be repaired. It is nevertheless important to establish the origins of any crazing in the gel coat to try to prevent it happening. If the cracks are relatively minor and gel coat not too thick, awlgrip high hide primer may just do the trick. May, 2016 theres not much you can do about that other than be careful, but if you know you have a big event coming off, be extra careful with your nails to avoid cracks. Fiberglass hulls flex and shift a bit under load one of the reasons, in addition to hull design difference, they ride better than tin hulls and if the outer gel coat is too rigid or stiff it can crack when the underlying. The gel coat cracks are simply cracks in the cosmetic layer thats put over the top to keep the rv looking shiny. Stress cracks, finishes and surface defects buyers guide. Of course, if you do have stressgelcoat problems, the primer will only hide the problem till the first sail. Dec 02, 2014 most stress cracking is purely cosmetic, moisture is unlikely to penetrate to the laminate in the topsides and deck, and can easily be detected with a moisture meter. Before you begin your fiberglass repair you will need to purchase catalyst methyl ethyl ketone peroxide from an. The fact that yours are extensive and below the water line should get the attention of both the dealer and the builder.

The best repair is to remove paint down to the gelcoat, if theres no cracks at that point use a good sealer and your done, if theres cracks in the gelcoat it. But for the cracks you can take a screw driver and widen them by gouging it, then filling it with gel coat or they make a gel paste good for this. With some boats you could begin seeing signs of stress within the first few years. Mar 01, 2014 soh i had a issue with my 2006 wakesetter with stress cracks and took it to my fiberglass guy and he fixed all of them and said it was was from the holes not being chamferd as others have said and that they had put the gel coat to thick which will cause cracking. Unless you can stop the flexing, youre wasting your time fixing the cracks. All about fiberglass boat stress cracks fiberglass boat repair. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gel coat layers than newer boats. Gelcoat oxidation can sometimes be repaired, but if the damage is. The type of cracks the op is seeing are not structural and are likely due to gel coat that was applied too thick. Also used to provide a glossy topcoat for 9 second chip fix repairs. Ive seen new donzis with cracks and lots of others. Gel coat cracking on 2000 tritonanyone else having this. When these voids are present, or when the fiberglass is. A body guy came out and looked at them and said they were stress fractures in the gel coat.

Once the gel coat has reached a full cure, progressively sand the area to a polish. Repairing hairline cracks and how to do repair gelcoat magicezy. Sitting in the hot sun in fla or az the dark colors can absorb a lot of heat it may get up to 140f and when the gel coat expands the fg restrains it and the thermal stress. Is this considered a stress crack or just gel coat damage. 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. Once youre sure youre dealing with these types of cracks in the outer gel coat of the fiberglass, your fix can be limited to the fiberglass exterior. Magic fix for hairline cracks in gelcoat practical sailor. This diy is not difficult and could save you a lot of money by doing it yourself and still. It penetrates deeply into the pores of even the finest of cracks for ultra tough adhesion and durability. Gel coat cracking malibu boats general discussion area.

You dont always have to have a 10 year old boat to be experiencing this problem. Spider cracks are small, hairlike cracks that appear on the gel coat of boats. They reported that the gel coat was very tick in the high radius area of the sump and that may have made the gel coat there more susceptible to cracking. That helps take away the stress of the unknown for newbies like me. Hairline cracks stand out once black colored dirt gets in them once they return to approximately the gel coat colour they usually blend in well. The gelcoat seals the fiberglass and can be left alone or painted over. May 05, 2015 cracks occur when there are pockets of gelcoat that accumulate and end up being too thick.

Are they gel coat or stress cracks in the meantime, coud anyone answer me some basic newbie questions. Ive owned a lot of boats and they all had gel coat cracks. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older. The lower 14 of the transom was rotted, allowing the outer skin to flex. On recent inspection a series of concentric rings of very fine cracking in the gelcoat on the hullside have appeared. How to repair spider cracks on your fiberglass boat. 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. This is were the base fiberglass material under the gel coat has fractured, when a really bad stress crack occurs the gel coat will start to flake away exposing the pink material under the gel coat layer.

Take care that they are completely mixed together, otherwise the hardener and gel coat will not set properly, and you will be left with a sticky mess for weeks. The dots are air pockets in the fiberglass that were covered by the gelcoat. The gelcoat is applied to the inside of the mold before the fiberglass resin and cloth are layered on. Stress cracks, spider cracks, and hairline cracks in the decks of older boats are, of course, not rare. Thats as long as they are stress cracks, fine hairline like spider web, not something you can see into. This thicker gel coat cannot stand any flexing without showing cracks. They reported that the gelcoat was very tick in the high radius area of the sump and that may have made the gelcoat there more susceptible to cracking. How to fix spider cracks in fiberglass it still runs. Gel coat is basically a resin to which a large amount of coloring pigment has been added, pigments that are oxides of metals like aluminum. Small cracks form in the outer surface of the fiberglass, spreading out from a central point like a spiderweb. Theyre not affecting the integrity of the boat, so dont stress out pun intended if you have a few.

Magicezy hairline fix is a onepart, precoloured sealant that repairs gelcoat stress cracks, scrapes and scratches. A dremil with the right bit can be held like a pen. Spider web crackscaravan repairs, servicing and maintenance. Mar 12, 2015 this is were the base fiberglass material under the gel coat has fractured, when a really bad stress crack occurs the gel coat will start to flake away exposing the pink material under the gel coat layer. These hairline fractures also occur in boats of the mid 1970s vintage which often had thicker gelcoat layers than newer boats. Once youre sure youre dealing with these types of cracks in the outer gel coat of the fiberglass, your fix can be limited to. Spider cracks are a form of fiberglass damage that occurs from minor flexing or impacts. For more details on some of the things that can go wrong in the fiberglass during the manufacturing process please refer to the blistering article. Spider cracks in hull boat talk chaparral boats owners club. There is not much of this but i would like to know what it is and the best way to deal with it.

Spider cracks are nonstructural damage to the gel coat of a boat. These cracks are generally cosmetic, and indicate flexing of the hull. Now that the cracks are ready, mix your gelcoat repair kit and the hardener together. 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. Repairing minor damage to the gelcoat surface of your boat west. Hairline fix seal and color stress cracks and gelcoat crazing. If the cracks on your boat were caused by impacts, such as around rub rails or where a heavy object was dropped, move on to step 1. If not managed, these small cosmetic annoyances can. How to repair spider cracks in fiberglass boatlife. The next time youre cleaning and waxing your boat, take the time to look for small cracks, scratches and chips in its gel coat. He made an appointment with the factory, they took the boat back grind down a few feet of the back and sides and rebuilt the area. Stress cracks around outdrive on 23 footer boat design net. The tape will help to ensure that your fresh layer of resin doesnt go too far across the surface.

This damage is often caused by slight flexing of the hull. This is a great help, especially using gelcoat between laminating layers. The boat is a 2005, i had had the cracks for a while but did not mention it to the dealer until last summer. There is some areas of crazing, does that happen with paint and gelcoat. Nov 05, 2012 i read some place that some new hulls are being machinedbakedlaser built and so stress cracks appear in the gel coat sometimes because they are so perfectly made. If you run on super calm water and dont subject the boat to any flex or stress, you might not get cracks. Spider cracks in gelcoat moderated discussion areas. A fiberglass layup that is too wet, or has too much resin will crack also. Are they gelcoat or stress cracks thanks mate, was convinced it was going to be something more sinister. I had some stress cracks filed on my transom last spring. Always got stress cracks in the cabin roof or bow area from people always loading and unloading their heavy coolers and. Most stress cracks occur in the gelcoat layer of fiberglass surfaces and can be repaired by yourself. Gelcoat repair kit fills in scratches and surface cracks on composite canoes or kayaks.

The primary reason why stress cracks appear in gel coat is because gel coat is brittle and the laminate to which it is bonded is less so. Cracks occur when there are pockets of gelcoat that accumulate and end up being too thick. The best repair is to remove paint down to the gel coat, if theres no cracks at that point use a good sealer and your done, if theres cracks in the gel coat it must be removed down to the glass and resprayed. Spider cracks are small, hairlike cracks that appear on the gelcoat of boats. Learn how to treat wearinduced spider cracks that appear along the hull of your dinghy. Cracks in the laminate would suggest its been backed into something or been hit by something. I have a 2001 tr21 that is starting to do the small stress cracks just in front and behind both consoles.