Results 1 to 14 of 14

Thread: Cracks in Gelcoat- Help

  1. #1

    Question Cracks in Gelcoat- Help

    Hi all,
    This is my first post although I have been reading the boating forum for a few months. There seems to be a few wize heads here- and a few hot ones.
    Anyway to my problem- I have just brought a boat and am loving it although have rarely had the chance to take it out with 25kn SE blowing week in week out. There is a crack that runs from the entry point of the bow- back about 1.5m with a couple of branches. It was been roughly patched with what I am guessing is gel coat and some of it has chipped away. From this area after a day or 2 of being in the sea, it exudes what looks like salt although has a bit of a chemical taste and smell.
    So a couple of questions: 1) What is the best way to patch this up? Gelcoat or flocoat?
    2) Is the substance likely to be salt, degraded foam or something else.
    3) Is the crack likely letting water into the glass or foam and if so is there something else i can do before patching it up to prevent any waterlogging issues?
    I know there are a few qs here and it may be short on info- if so let me know what you need to answer the questions. I will get some photos tonight and post them so you know exactly what Im on about.

    Cheers

  2. #2

    Re: Cracks in Gelcoat- Help

    Speak with the manufacturer as they may be interested in what has happened , is happening and what a appropriate fix is for it. They may help if it is a manufacturing fault as no manufacturer like to see it's boats not lookig good..

    If you know the previous owner I would be asking them what they know about it

    There is big diference between gelcoat scratches, accident damage fro driving on a trailer or a possible failure in the laminate and a dodgy repair is the last thing you want to be involved in. Solve the underlying problem if there is one and not do a cover up job.

    A marine surveyor or reputale fiberglass repair or boatbuilder would be able to give an opinion.

  3. #3

    Re: Cracks in Gelcoat- Help

    Thanks for that Cormorant.
    I am not sure that they are still operating- but i will have a look. The hull is a 97 model so no warranty but I will follow that route anyway.
    To me it looks like a laminate cracking evident by the branching.
    It also has a lot of spiderweb cracking near pressure points such as bollard mounts and canopy mounts. Im not suprised or really concerned about these but I would rather not have them.

  4. #4

    Re: Cracks in Gelcoat- Help

    You can often tell from having a close look at gelcoat cracks how they happened. Be it wrong fastners, fitting overloaded, no backing plates or re-enforcing where fittings go, or an impact or the underlying lamiate having issues. May be as simple as a boat that came out of the mould with a brittle gel coat but I don't like the sound of smelly ooze.

    Close and wide photos may get other people here to comment with possible causes.


    I wouldn't be thinking worst case till you have done a bit of investigation and spoken to the builders to see what they think. I assume this is teh same comany.

    http://www.aussiewhaler.com/

    When a laminate gets damaged and the fibres are allowed to be exposed to water ,and salt water and small localised damage can happen.

    laminates that were layed up with to hotter resin or resin that didn't cure properly etc can also have issues.

    The resin and laminate issues get bundled up into the big topic of osmosis, fibreglass cancer. Basically components in the laminate or air bubbles in teh lay up absorb water or ooze un catalized components and bubbles or areas of soft laminate can appear on a hull. Air bubbles absorb salt water as gel coats are not 100 % water proof and once water gets trapped a chemical reaction happens . Not many modern boats that are trailered get it unless in a high humidity area ur have other issues.

    do a search- here is a quick overview

    http://www.boatstasmania.com.au/surv...p?page=osmosis

  5. #5

    Re: Cracks in Gelcoat- Help

    Thanks for the info Cormorant. I think i can rule out osmosis as an issue based on my basic knowledge of the process. I stand to be corrected but if the boat is trailered and used in salt water osmosis is not usually a problem? I understand it is an issue if the boat spends long periods moored in the fresh.

    I did talk to the guy - he has been there since 2003- 6 years after the manufacture of my boat. Basically he didn't want to know or comment on anything since he had nothing to do with it. fair enough I guess but he could have been a bit more helpful- I think he thought I may have been lining him up so was a bit cagey.
    After tasting the exude again i think it is just salt- no bitter taste and the smell isn't strong.
    Anyway i have attempted to put some photos up - hopefully they work and shed a bit more light on the subject.

  6. #6

    Re: Cracks in Gelcoat- Help

    I would be wishfull that it was just where someone has run into a sharp post in the water or end of a pontoon or sharp oyster rock but I dunno. Can't tell if it is a crack or where a sharp object has scored it. It may be more serious I can't imagine how big an impact would be needed to crack glass in that position and produce no other visible damage. Big Log at 20 knots ?

    I'd check for flex either side of the "crack" to see if it moves and remove some of the "liquid paper" or "no more gaps" they did the bodgy cover up with and see if you can get a clearer idea of what is going on.

    On older hulls we have used very bright lights from the inside on thin FG ares to see if cracks are there but with modern gel coats I'm not sure it it will help


    Can you see that same position on the inside of the hull - any damage or coverup?

    Does hull take any water?

  7. #7

    Re: Cracks in Gelcoat- Help

    I dont believe the hull is taking much water- it isnt showing when the bungs are removed however it is a double skin foam filled construction so I don't think the water would flow anyway. Also because of this the torch trick wont work.
    Id say some water is getting in and is evaporating out leaving behind the salt- just not sure how far in.
    There doesn't appear to be any impact point and the braching of the crack indicates to me that it probably isn't a scratch.

  8. #8

    Re: Cracks in Gelcoat- Help

    It certainly looks like a crack, rather than a scratch, but stil a bit hard to tell from pics..

    Drop it into a glass repairer for a proper opinion ... otherwise it could end up getting worse.

    There are some good repairers on Ausfish between Nth Brs, Sth Bris & Gold Coast. (thats if you are in this area)

    Cheers

    Pete

  9. #9

    Re: Cracks in Gelcoat- Help

    Pm/ message TJ Bear here on the forum as he has the knowledge on how to fix this properly if it goes as deep as the foam core and some idea of the force to do that. Also he will know any tricks in determining if the damage to the core. A bad repair on this will only make it worse

    Only time I have seen such clean cracking and no impact damage is where boats have been strapped to a truck bed the wrong way , too tight and flex in the truck bed snaps em or fork lift.

    If it was done on the water I'd be looking for the imprint of someones forehead on the dash and fingernailmarks in teh steering wheel. Glad I wasn't in it.

    On a closer look at larger photos the branching is not a good sign.

  10. #10

    Re: Cracks in Gelcoat- Help

    Thanks for the reply guys. There appears to be no flexing or impact points.

    Cheers


  11. #11

    Re: Cracks in Gelcoat- Help

    Again, hard to see exactly from the pics but it looks like the repair has been done with fibreglass tape over the outside. Wrong way to do it.

    If it is oozing salt etc out, then it is deep and poorly fixed. If it has that chemical taste, then it suggests to me that it is seeping out of the foam.

    When I repair things lik ethis, most times, if it is through the glass structure it will have to be fixed from the inside to strengthen what could be a deep gouge, fractured glass, or a structural crack from design fault or bad layup from factory.

    If it is partially into the glass and it hasn't fractured any glass work as such, then it can be fixed from the outside.

    You may be lucky, the fibreglass tape may be creating a smoke and mirrors effect that is holding water beind it and giving the effect that it is seeping from inside the hull. It may end up just being a gelcoat repair.

    Either way get it checked out as it certainly isn't going to magically disappear and it can only create more problems the longer it is left.

    Cheers

    Pete

  12. #12

    Re: Cracks in Gelcoat- Help

    Ok I had a chat with a fibreglasser up here who does a lot of boats. Without actually seeing it he reckons that the cracks are due to flex- probably started by hitting a large wave or something hard. I had a look uder the keel and there is some scuffing and scratches so that could have been the impact that started it also.
    He said the longer it goes on the more flexing will occur and the more it will delaminate.
    I had a look on the other side and there are smaller cracks there as well which makes me think the flexing is happening.


  13. #13

    Re: Cracks in Gelcoat- Help

    Cost is dependant on what has to be done. $500 to $1000 as long as you can determin what the damage actually is. Above that is gettin silly even for structural backing.

    You want it done in matched gelcoat non of this painted over crap.

    I wonder if this is part of a pevious insurance claim as if it is many insurers guarantee repairs for life regardless of owner . The current repair is very poor and hopefully a amature job not a local professional..

    You can do very little damage having a quick scratch around to see how deep it is and what th fibres inderneath loofk like and too see just how it has been tried to be repaired. I''d be putting a bit of pressure on it with a bar along the crack and seeing just how much flex it has and if it opens up so you know what you are dealing with.

    Taking it to the boat FG guy so he can have a decent lookand give a proper quote would be a start as well.

    Check your trailer - has the winch post been bent or rewelded or other trailer damage from a car accident or perhaps a big mistake when driving on the trailer?

  14. #14

    Re: Cracks in Gelcoat- Help

    There is no way in the world that crack can cost up to $2000.00. Go get another opinion mate, as to be honest it doesn't look bad at all. From those pics it looks like it needs a grind and a patch, its no big job for any boat builder/repairer. If u can get to it from the inside then thats a bonus, as u can strengthen it up. Also the chemical taste will be from the resin in the fibreglass, so dont worry.

    Cheers
    Matty

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •